


So You Think You Can Kink

by sksdwrld



Series: So You Think You Can Kink [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bad BDSM Etiquette, Bad Parenting, Bondage and Discipline, Breathplay, Cock & Ball Torture, Cock Cages, Come Eating, Comeplay, Death of a Parent, Dominant-in-training, Dubious Consent, Dubious Ethics, Dubious Morality, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Flogging, Homophobic Language, Ignored Safeword, M/M, Minor Character Death, Orgasm Control, Prostate Milking, Public Sex, Romance, Sex Club, Situational Humiliation, Spanking, Uther as incredibly bad person, Verbal Humiliation, Wax Play, bratty-submissive, crossdressing with role play, death of a partner (minor character non graphic), implied underage sex(non-graphic), mentions of many other kinks, non-graphic sexual content with a 17 year old (legal in the UK), submissive-for-hire, underage voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-24
Updated: 2013-11-24
Packaged: 2018-01-01 15:40:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 62,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1045641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sksdwrld/pseuds/sksdwrld
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin is more than just a well-paid whore: he's a professional submissive who loves what he does. As his long-term contract with Uther Pendragon comes to an end, he must find a means to keep providing for himself. He wasn't expecting Arthur to step into the role of dominant, and he certainly wasn't expecting to fall in love.</p><p>Arthur is suddenly thrown into the world of BDSM when his father's ex-whore needs a place to stay. He's always had a bit of a crush on Merlin, but it blossoms into something decidedly more as Merlin teaches him all the best ways to get his kink on.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [agirlnamedtruth](https://archiveofourown.org/users/agirlnamedtruth/gifts), [BekahRose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BekahRose/gifts), [kitty_fic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitty_fic/gifts).



> Despite the tags and warnings, this fic is actually an angsty romance set in a kink-friendly background. 90% of the warnings are applicable to the first chapter which sets the scene.

Ever since Arthur's mum had passed away when he was four, Uther had kept a string of male lovers. And when Arthur said kept, he meant it in the most despicable way. Live-in whores. Always lean and delicate boned, always youthful. And as the years passed, it seemed that each one grew younger than the next, even as Uther became weathered and wrinkled.

As a child, Arthur hadn't truly understood that Uncle Marty and Uncle Billie and Uncle Drake weren't really related to him. But when he turned ten, Morgana had told him what really went on in his father's 'grown-ups only, no exceptions' playroom. He'd been horrified at first, then angry. He'd made it a point to despise them all after that. It was bad enough that he was forced to share his father's love and attention with Morgana, but the thought of his father abandoning them to the care of the nanny so that he could stick his prick in some money-grubbing chav...well, that was deplorable.

Arthur was sixteen when his father took on Merlin, a tall and gangly bloke with ears that looked like they'd been yanked too hard mid-suck a few too many times already. He had a wide, contagious smile when he was being friendly, but more often than not, snarked at Arthur as though he was one of Arthur's own privileged, private school friends. The worst part was, Merlin was only twenty, and because they were practically agemates, they had far too much in common for Arthur’s comfort. It was far too easy to loathe Merlin on a number of counts.

Everything changed on the day that Arthur's league footy practice was cancelled. Rather than call the driver back, he caught a ride home with one of his friends. He trudged upstairs with his gear, only to hear a low moan echoing down the hallway. He scowled and was about to make a flippant remark for his father to overhear when he heard a hiss of pain.

"Ow! Jesus-fuck, Uther!"

There was a sharp slap followed by Uther’s commanding tone. "I am your lord, Merlin. Say it."

Arthur deposited his bag by his bedroom door and snuck toward the 'playroom', which adjoined his father's own. Peeking through the slitted-open door (the door that was always tightly closed and locked), he could only see his father's back. Well, that and Merlin's spindly legs sticking down the end of the table he was laying on.

Uther lifted his arm and Arthur saw that he held a leather whip, thin corded tails trailing from the end. He let his arm fall and Arthur jerked at the sound it made as it connected with flesh. Merlin groaned again. "You are my lord..."

"Good boy..." Uther said, and Arthur could hear the smirk in his voice. Uther lowered the whip to the edge of the table and stepped to the side, reaching for a pillar candle resting in a medieval-style floor candelabra.

Arthur saw him then: Merlin's naked body was splattered in purple-black wax and striped in red welts. Merlin was writhing against bonds which held him flat against the tabletop, and beyond that, Arthur was aware of a faint but distinct humming buzz that filled the air. Arthur's stomach did something funny and he swore under his breath. Just what the bloody buggering fuck was going on here? Despite his initial revulsion that he was spying on his father, it was curiosity that drove him to push the door open a little wider.

Merlin's head rolled toward him and his eyes widened. "Uther! Uther, stop."

Uther snorted and approached him again with the candle. "You're not calling quits already are you? We've barely just begun.”

Merlin nodded in Arthur's direction. "We've got a visitor."

Uther glanced over his shoulder and a strange smile curled his lips. "Let him watch then."

"He's just kid!" Merlin protested.

"He ought to learn, don't you think..." Uther said, reaching beneath Merlin. The buzzing grew louder and Merlin jerked in place. "What it means to truly have the power?"

"Yellow." Merlin scowled at him and gritted his teeth. His eyes fluttered closed and his hips began to rock on the table as his breath hitched. "You don't...pay me nearly enough to...to involve minors in this...sort of play. Yellow, damn it."

"I don't pay you to disobey me either, and if you safeword on me now, I won't pay you at all,” Uther said cruelly, his eyes on Arthur. He let his hand trail over Merlin's hip and up his torso, then viciously twisted Merlin's left nipple.

"That is blackmail, you bastard!" Merlin scowled and struggled harder against his restraints.

Arthur just stood there, fishmouthed and gaping. He thought he should probably look away at the very least, but he couldn't.

"Do shut up, Merlin," Uther said and upended the candle, spilling hot wax all over Merlin's cock. Merlin arched and howled, then bit his lip.

"You see, Arthur, Merlin is nothing but a toy for my amusement...isn't that right, Merlin?" Uther prodded Merlin, whose face was suffused red, when he didn't answer. His fingers stretched toward the whip. "Merlin, do you need another reminder?"

Merlin quickly shook his head. "No, no. He's right...you're right, my lord."

"You see, Arthur? The weak need strong figureheads such as ourselves to guide them, remind them of their places..." Uther pumped Merlin's shaft dispassionately but Merlin thrust into his hand nonetheless. Uther continued, "To tend to them, like sheep. Like vassals. And we, Arthur, are their lords."

Arthur watched his father's hand disappear between Merlin's thighs again. Uther began to work his hand back and forth, driving the buzzing thing in and out of Merlin. Merlin gasped and shuddered, pulling at his restraints. It was not long before Merlin began to whimper and Uther put his hand on Merlin's abdomen, pushing firmly down and pinning Merlin in place. Even Merlin’s insistently shimmying hips went nowhere.

Arthur's feet seemed to be made of lead and rooted him in place. He desperately wanted to be disgusted, and was embarrassed by the interest his dick was taking in the scene before him. Merlin's face was flushed and his skin patchy. His breaths came in an irregular pattern of uncontrolled gasps, and his purpled erection was straining, bobbing. Arthur deeply wanted Merlin to come, because this seemed like torture, like agony.

Uther's smugness was apparent. He let his eyes roll over Merlin once more before saying lowly, "Open your eyes, Merlin."

Merlin's eyes fluttered open and he struggle to keep them that way. He rasped, "Close."

"Turn your eyes to my son, then. Perhaps you'd like to pretend it's him moving inside of you rather than this oversized toy, stretching your fucked-loose hole. Whore. Turn your whore eyes on my son and ask him permission to come."

Merlin shut his eyes and shook his head. "Uther...my lord. Please! Please no. I'm begging you, please don't..."

Uther shrugged. "Don't come then. What do I care?" His hand stilled and Merlin's harsh cry of protest pierced the air.

Merlin panted for a moment, but his head rolled toward Arthur, his eyes opening once more. His voice was a broken plea for Arthur's leniency. "Arthur...Arthur, please!"

Those three words made Arthur feel awash with a power he'd never had and never known he'd wanted until now. He felt his father's eyes upon him, but Arthur was unable to tear his gaze away from Merlin.

"Arthur," Merlin interjected Arthur's whirlwind of thoughts. "Please...let me come?"

Arthur blinked and nodded. "Yes," he said. Who was he to command such a thing? He did it anyway. "Come."

"Arthur!" Merlin's sharp cry of completion filled the room. Spunk decorated his chest, stark against the blackness of wax.

In that single moment, Arthur was acutely aware of the wrongness of this situation. He shouldn't have been there, not as a witness and certainly not as a participant. His brain didn't have the capacity to deal with everything at once.

Arthur turned on his heel and fled, Uther's mocking laughter chasing him down the hall.

He didn't see Merlin again for nearly a week, despite sharing living quarters. Run-ins with Uther resulted in that same look of amusement that made Arthur more than uncomfortable. One morning, Arthur strode into the dining room with his fruit and cheese plate only to find Merlin hunched over the world’s largest bowl of cereal. Arthur stood there for a more than a minute, shifting weight between his feet as he tried to decide whether he wanted to retreat to his room or share the table with Merlin. The longer he stood there, the more uncomfortable and obvious his indecision became.

Merlin stopped slurping his cereal long enough to raise his eyebrow at Arthur. “Have you forgotten something?”

Arthur flushed, shook his head and settled at the far end of the table picking at his breakfast even though he was hungry. Merlin had resumed eagerly ploughing food into his mouth, clearly unaffected by Arthur’s presence, which only served to further unsettle him. Arthur was staring and he knew it. He just couldn't help it. He couldn't stop thinking of the way his name had fallen from Merlin's lips, especially not the way those very same lips slid sensually over the spoon each time he pulled it from his mouth.

Around a mouthful, and without looking up, Merlin said, "Take a bloody picture."

Arthur dropped his gaze and bit into a large strawberry. It dribbled juice and left him sucking at the remnants, as well as his fingers, just to avoid staining his crisp, white school shirt. When he looked up again, Merlin was looking at him strangely, his spoon loaded with cereal hovering mid-way to his mouth.

Smirking superiorly, Arthur asked, "Now who's staring?"

Merlin let his spoon fall back into his cereal with a splash and wiped his mouth on the serviette. "What do you want, Arthur?"

"I don't know," he replied truthfully. Cocking his head, he eyed Merlin, wondering if he could wring Merlin’s motivations from him. "Are you alright? Should I contact the authorities? Tell them that you're being held against your will?"

"I'm fine." Merlin snorted, rolling his eyes and lifting his spoon back to his mouth. "Your concern is utterly touching, however. Thank you, Arthur, but your knight-in-shining-armour services won't be needed today."

Arthur meant to scoff in return but what came out instead was, "Why do you let him do that to you? All that sick shit....if it bloody well hurts, why do you let him?"

A new light came into Merlin's eyes and it was his turn to look bemused. "Well, there is the matter of money...your father pays very, very well for my services and discretion, both. But more importantly, I like it. I really like it, Arthur. Not that you'd know anything about it, I expect, but bending your will to someone else is a heady aphrodisiac. And getting paid for it...well, that makes me feel like a very naughty boy. Do you know what to do with a naughty boy?"

Arthur’s mouth opened and closed. He was not quite certain that he knew what to do with naughty boys, or even how exactly to define one. Of course, if whatever he’d walked in on with his father was something to go by, Merlin was probably headed straight to hell.

Merlin grinned and his eyes travelled over Arthur in a way that made him want to squirm. Arthur pressed the heel of his hand against the serviette in his lap, grinding it into his growing erection and willing it away.

"And what is the going rate these days, for letting someone tie you down and coat your prick in candle wax?" Arthur quipped.

Merlin gave him a withering look. "A boy like you couldn't afford me for an hour, let alone the time it would take to do the scene properly."

Arthur hadn't meant to imply that he was interested -he hadn't been- but the challenge in Merlin's voice had him reaching for his wallet. "I am the Pendragon heir, you realise."

"Why, I had no idea that you were interested. Not after the way you tucked tail and ran..." Merlin leaned forward and licked his lips lasciviously. "Are you? Interested, I mean."

His voice dripped with intent and travelled straight to Arthur's cock. Arthur jerked slightly and felt a flush crawl over him. "Are you offering?" he countered, wallet still in hand.

Merlin looked at him for what seemed like forever. Then he laughed and pushed away from the table, grabbing his bowl at the last minute. Arthur's heart beat wildly in his throat as Merlin approached him, planting one large hand on the table between them as he leaned over Arthur. Arthur imagined his low and sultry voice saying, _Come with me._ He found himself wincing when Merlin carefully enunciated instead, "You have nothing I want." Then, he snatched the linen from Arthur's lap and carefully wiped just below Arthur's lip before tossing it on Arthur's plate and gliding away.

Arthur clutched the serviette in his hand as his face flooded with warmth and he felt the burn of anger and rejection coil in his gut. He hazarded a glance at the serviette and with a peak of embarrassment, found it stained red with berry juice. So much for being coy.

***

It was impossible to avoid Merlin and his father when they were together, and it seemed that since Arthur had been an accidental witness to the fucked up games they played, Uther was feeling less inclined to keep everything behind the closed doors of the playroom.

On a separate occasion a few months later, Arthur found himself in the middle of yet another unfortunate circumstance. It was his own fault, really. He was getting in late from a party and thought it better to use the servant's entrance in the kitchen rather than the front door. As he turned the knob and stepped inside, he was assaulted by Merlin's breathy voice.

"Oh yeah, oh _God_ , yeah..." Merlin was sitting naked on the countertop that Arthur enjoyed his after school snacks at as a child, and occasionally to this day. His legs were widely spread and his head was tilted back as his hand flew over his prick. The bloody chav was wanking in the kitchen!

Affronted, Arthur opened his mouth to tell Merlin off. That was when Uther stepped out from behind Merlin, a finger to his lips and an eyebrow sardonically hitched. Then, Uther brought his lips back to Merlin's ear, speaking so lowly that Arthur couldn't make out the words over Merlin's enthusiastic commentary.

Every now and again, Uther's fingers would stroke the column of Merlin's throat, then squeeze, and that made Merlin groan. When Merlin choked out a warning that he was nearing completion, Uther's free hand pinched the stem of a nearby champagne flute, and he brought the rim of the glass to the head of Merlin’s cock

The hand at Merlin's throat splayed wider before Uther's fingers curled, digging into the soft flesh around Merlin's trachea. Arthur found himself disturbingly fascinated once more. He could very well be witness to Merlin's murder, and he would have done nothing to stop it.

Merlin didn't sound like he was dying, though. He sounded like he was in the throes of the best orgasm of his life. His body jerked in Uther's hold, and he gasped, moaned, stroked himself faster. His eyelids began to flutter and his chest heaved as he tried to draw a breath and couldn't. When Merlin's hand slowed, then fell away, curling limply on the countertop, Arthur took a step forward. He had to put a stop to this, had to--

Merlin's body twitched and his semen flooded the fluted glass. The sharp intake of breath distracted Arthur. He looked up to find Uther cradling Merlin against him, the hand that had very nearly choked to life out of him now rubbing soothing circles on Merlin's chest. After a minute, Merlin coughed and Uther handed him the come-filled champagne glass. Merlin tipped it to his lips and Arthur could not keep the disdain from his face.

Uther's chuckle broke the silence. "You see, Arthur..." at the mention of his name, Merlin struggled to sit up but Uther held him in place, pushing the glass back to his mouth and tipping it so that Merlin had no choice but to accept it and swallow. "There are two types of people in this world: those who have the power to do anything and those that live to serve them.Merlin is a fine example of that. He is but a slave to desire, an instrument through which I channel my will...do not allow yourself to be an instrument of someone else's will. I expect you won't be late again."

Arthur shook his head, horrified to think that display had possibly been entirely for his benefit. Merlin met his eyes then glanced away ashamed, either for Arthur or because of him. When his father dismissed him, Arthur was more than happy to escape to his room.

From that time forward, Arthur was sure to give a wide berth to his father and Merlin, whenever he happened upon them. Of course, it was when he was least expecting another incident that one presented itself. It was Christmas, and though Arthur didn't know it yet, it would be one of the last that he would spend under Uther's roof.

Morgana had only just left, headed for the Alps with Morgause and Nimueh. Agravaine had come to visit and Uther was entertaining him in the dining room, plying him with drinks, no doubt. Arthur was slumped in the armchair in the living room, idly flicking the screen on his new Blackberry as he had been for hours. The telly was running holiday favourites and served as background noise. Arthur could hardly remember a more boring Christmas.

When the front door opened, Arthur's head snapped up and even though it was only Merlin, the distraction was welcome. "Oi, Merlin! What do you think of this?" He waved his phone at Merlin, who was now obliged to look at it and make polite small talk.

"Present from your dad, eh?" Merlin shrugged out of his coat and hung it in the closet, then kicked off his boots, leaving them by the door. He leaned over the back of the chair and gave it an obligatory once over. "Nice."

"Yeah. It's bloody fantastic. What'd your mum give you?"

Merlin looked down and flipped the ends of the scarf wrapped around his neck up.

"Suits you," Arthur said simply, and it did. The scarf was long, thick, and made of good quality yarn, variegated in rich shades of green and brown with threads of gold.

Merlin shrugged and unwound it, leaving Arthur's side in order to tuck it into his coat-sleeve.

"What'd you give her?" Arthur asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

"Paid her electric bill in full," Merlin said. "Was two months past due."

"Oh..." Arthur said uncomfortably. "Nice of you."

"S'pose."

Before Arthur had the chance to find out what was bothering Uther's usually talkative manservant, Uther made an appearance. His cheeks were flushed and there was a malicious glint in his eye. "Merlin! It's about time you showed up. You've kept us waiting..."

Merlin paled beneath Uther's leering gaze and Arthur was able to connect the dots. "Jesus! It's bloody Christmas, Dad. Why don't you give the evil overlord thing a rest for the day..." Arthur said, coming to Merlin's defence.

Uther only smirked. "Merlin's gift to me is my gift to Agravaine...isn't that right, boy?"

Merlin had a vacant look in his eye and he nodded before waving in the vague direction of the staircase. "Should I wait for you?"

Uther cocked his head and assessed the two of them. "Not yet...Merlin, why don't you show Arthur the present I've given you?"

Merlin startled and his eyes narrowed. "I'm sure he's not interested."

"Now, that's not true..." Uther led. "He seemed very interested in the gifts you exchanged with your mother..."

Merlin folded his arms over his chest. "I'm not going to do it, Uther. Let's just go upstairs and get this over with."

"You know me better than that, Merlin. I don't tolerate your insolence on any other occasion, and today is no different. Show Arthur your present." Uther commanded coolly. Agravaine, no doubt drawn by the commotion, appeared behind Uther and laid a hand on his shoulder.

Merlin looked between each of them and shook his head again. "I won't. I swear to God, Uther, I'll walk, I really will."

Uther waved his hand. "Go on then. Plenty more boys like you. All it takes is a phone call and your replacement will arrive on my doorstep within the hour. You're dispensable, Merlin. All whores are."

Merlin's face clouded over before he flushed a deep red, the tips of his ears going nearly purple. His fists clenched and unclenched by his sides, and when he looked at Arthur, there were tears building in Merlin's eyes.

"Don't do it, whatever it is..." Arthur said. "It's not worth it, Merlin."

"Oh, it's worth it, isn't it?" Uther said. "Keeps your mother comfortable, doesn't it, Merlin?"

"Don't..." Arthur whispered and Merlin looked at the floor, resigned.

"I hate you," Merlin said between clenched teeth as he turned to face Uther. He was fumbling with his belt buckle and Arthur heard him take down his zip.

"I don't pay you for your affection, boy. All I want is your loyalty and obedience." Uther nodded for Merlin to continue.

Merlin took a deep breath and hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his cords, hesitating a moment longer before shoving them down.

Arthur saw the pale globes of Merlin's arse, and then Merlin's fingers curling into the crack, pulling them apart. "Oh, Jesus!" Arthur shut his eyes for a moment, then slitted them open. He hated himself for wanting to look, for contributing to Merlin's abject debasement.

The bright red colour of the plug caught Arthur's attention right away, and his eyes were secondarily drawn to the glistening, pink rim of Merlin's arsehole, stretched around it. He swore again as he sat up and leaned forward, then, embarrassed by his own fascination, leaned back. The Pendragon crest was emblazoned on the base, and Arthur wanted to run his thumb over it. He bit his lip instead, a flush settling over his cheeks.

"What do you say, Agravaine? Should we let Arthur join us?" Uther offered.

Agravaine smiled but shook his head. "It's a man's sport, and I'm not sure Arthur's up to the task just yet."

"Arthur, what say you?" Uther asked.

Arthur licked his lips then shook his head. "No." His voice cracked, making the men laugh at him and he cleared his throat before repeating himself.

Uther sauntered closer, reaching over Merlin's hip and spinning the plug in slow circles. "It's a privilege to be claimed by the Pendragon Scion, Merlin. You'd do well not to forget it."

"Yes, m'lord," Merlin said, his voice tight.

Arthur held his breath and looked back at the phone in his hand but there was nothing that could unburn that image from his retinas. Luckily for Merlin though, Uther seemed to tire of the game. He grabbed a handful of Merlin's hair and physically righted him. He gave Merlin a shove toward the stairwell. "Get upstairs and prepare yourself for us."

Merlin stumbled and hung his head, jerking his trousers up as he went. Uther and Agravaine did not wait long before following him. It wasn't until the sound of their footsteps faded away that Arthur could breathe again.

***

Arthur was glad when school was over and he was able to move on to college, then university. It meant no more uncomfortable run-ins with Merlin in his own home. And, it allowed for suitable distractions from his school work, rather than wasting his time wondering what sorts of games his father and Merlin might be getting up to when neither he nor Morgana were around.

The first term of university passed without incident, though Arthur was embarrassed to admit that he had spent perhaps an unnatural amount of time looking at pornography during his downtime. But that was a bit silly, wasn’t it? The idea that an eighteen year-old might be too interested in sex? The caveat was that it wasn’t just pure, wholesome, run-of-the-mill sex. It was sex of the chained-down, tied-up, spanking, come-on-your-face variety. And that was somewhat embarrassing.

Nevertheless, Arthur had made quite a few new friends and had they had decided that university would be much more entertaining if they had their own place off of campus. Together, they rented a luxury flat in Westminster, and now that Christmas had passed, they were starting to move their things in. Arthur supposed that he could have rented a moving company to do the menial work for him, but on some level, it was just easier to throw a few bags together and move it himself. He had been in and out of the house all day and not seen his father once. Merlin, however, had appeared to have taken up permanent residence on the sofa.

As Arthur made his third trip inside, he noticed that Merlin was still sprawled on the sofa, flipping aimlessly through the channels on the telly. When Arthur's left knee twinged, he decided that now was as good a time as any to take a break. If he wasn't careful, he was going to aggravate the old footy injury again, and then he would be utterly useless for the rest of the break.

Without any pomp or circumstance, Arthur flung himself into the armchair. "There's over nine-hundred channels with the satellite. Better off watching the previews."

"Here." Merlin flipped the remote at him and tucked his hands behind his head, eyes falling shut. "Nothing on, anyway."

Arthur sighed and clicked onto the sports network out of habit. "Why aren't you sucking up to my father today?"

"He's busy," Merlin replied robotically. "Charity ball or some other..."

Arthur grunted in response and punched a few more buttons on the remote. "Shouldn't you be under his desk, keeping his cock warm or something?" Merlin snorted and Arthur glanced at him.

"What would you know about cock warming?" He arched his brow and Arthur felt suddenly flush. It was ridiculous that he let Merlin garner that reaction from him after all this time. "Is there much time for the pursuit of smut at uni, Arthur? Or have you followed in your father's footsteps after all?"

Arthur couldn't begin to tell Merlin that sometimes when he was alone and exceptionally bored, he _did_ think of Merlin, and wondering what other sort of sex acts Merlin might be into, trawling the internet for information about BDSM. His horizons had been broadened by information, though not the actions themselves. He flicked two fingers at Merlin, whose smile widened.

"Oh, I can tell you've matured, Arthur. I'm very impressed. Tell me: in your cock warming endeavours, are you the benefactor or the recipient?"

"Does everything always have to be about sex with you?" Arthur countered.

Merlin shrugged. "You brought it up, actually. But I don't mind. I love sex." He laid his arms along the back of the sofa and glanced at the telly. "Oh look, Doctor Who Marathon on channel 478."

"I love Doctor Who," Arthur breathed out of habit and was already thumbing the remote. He didn't even notice when Merlin laughed at him.

Four hours later, Arthur found himself comfortably perched on the sofa. Merlin's feet were in his lap, there was a mostly empty bowl of popcorn resting atop Merlin's shins, and the sun had set some time ago. He rubbed at his bleary eyes and checked his watch. "Shit!"

"Somewhere else you gotta be?" Merlin asked, stretching.

"Moving..." Arthur dug his phone out of his pocket and examined it, wondering why it hadn't blown up with messages from Lance and Percy, questioning his whereabouts. There were two and how he'd missed them was beyond him. The first was from Lance: _Sod this moving lark. Going for a pint or six with the boys. Meet us at the usual spot?_ The second was from Gwaine: _You on the pull or what? Where are youiuuuuuuuudrhjgxsshjknbf_

Arthur stuffed his phone in his pocket and stood. Merlin's feet rose then plummeted and his heels smacked the coffee table soundly.

"Oi!" Merlin complained and began dusting popcorn kernels off himself, glaring at Arthur.

Before either of them had a chance to exchange barbs, they were interrupted by the sound of the door off the kitchen opening. Boyish laughter and low voices echoed through into the living room. Momentarily, Uther appeared. Draped around him was a giddy young man with dark curls and piercing blue eyes. The young man glanced between Arthur and Merlin, drawing up short. He bit his lip.

"Mordred...." Arthur and Merlin said together, then looked at one another in surprise.

"Wonderful, you're all acquainted. Saves me the trouble of an introduction. Merlin?"

Merlin started to rise but Uther held up a hand. "No, no. Don't get up." He reached into the inner pocket of his blazer and withdrew a wad of bills, clipped together. Uther weighed them in his hand briefly, then tossed them into Merlin's lap. "Consider this your two week's notice. But do feel free to shove off sooner. I have plans for your room."

Uther spun Mordred around and led him toward the stairs. As they ascended, Mordred flashed Merlin a satisfied smirk and waggled his fingers at him.

Arthur looked at Merlin. The man looked utterly deflated and was toying with the bankroll in his hands. "That's utter shit," Arthur said by way of consolation.

Merlin shrugged. "It was good while it lasted but to be honest, I've been expecting it. He's been distant for a while."

"Did you...." Arthur hesitated. "Did you love him?"

Merlin snorted as he stood, tucking the bills into the pocket of his jeans, which were practically falling off his slender hips. "No. I'm not even certain that I like him."

"But you've been with him for over two years. Why would you--?"

Merlin cut him off with a look. "I know it offends your honourable sensibilities Arthur. Somehow, you're nothing like him and you can't understand it...but it was always about the money. You can think what you want about it. Me. Whatever. But the fact is, the salary he provided keeps my mum afloat. All it means is that I can sign up for uni now if I like. The timing is fucking terrible of course because it's too late for spring term, but I'll figure something out. I always do." Merlin moved toward the stairs and Arthur followed him.

"Why haven’t you done uni before now?"

Merlin rolled his eyes. "’I’ve been rather busy at your father’s beck and call, of course. Fucking morning, noon, and night doesn’t leave much time for studying, you know."

“What will you do, then? Wait tables?” Arthur asked curiously.

Snorting, Merlin shook his head. “Escorting is much more lucrative.”

“It’s also a bit disgusting, don’t you think?” Arthur proposed.

Merlin made it to the landing and paused briefly. "Does my lifestyle really bother you that much?"

"No, I mean, why should I care what you do with your body?" Arthur latched on to Merlin's door frame as Merlin went inside.

"But you do." Merlin tossed a look over his shoulder on his way to his closet. He yanked out a duffle bag and an overstuffed suitcase and threw them on the bed. "You do, or we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked.

"Packing, numpty. Were you or were you not there when your father told me to shove off?"

"He said you had two weeks..." Arthur trailed off uncomfortably.

"He's down the hall, buggering my replacement as we speak. Would you want to stay?" Merlin snapped. "And for all that is sacred, would you either come in and sit down or piss the fuck off? You're making me nervous blocking the natural exit."

Arthur entered and perched on a chair that was pushed against the wall and facing the bed. "So where are you going to go?"

Merlin was busy yanking drawers open and throwing his clothes into the suitcase. "Don't know. Back to Madam Tulane's, I reckon. Maybe she'll take me back on. We both knew Uther wasn't a forever-thing."

"What is that? Some sort of brothel?" Arthur scoffed.

Merlin stopped packing and gave Arthur a pointed look. "It's an escort service."

"Is that how you know Mordred?" Arthur asked.

"No," Merlin said with a bitter laugh. "Mordred's just a baby. God, he's....he's only seventeen. He used to be my neighbour, until his father remarried some poncy bint and they moved. How do you know him?"

"A widow who knows my father married some pikey from across town and sent his scallywag of a son up at my school. We had a few run-ins..."

Merlin rolled his eyes and crossed to his closet, quickly divesting the hangers of suits and other items. He threw them on the mountainous pile, then pulled down the lid, hopping on top of it and forcing it down. "A hand, if you would?"

Arthur started at one end and with a series of jerky movements, got the zip around to the front. Poking from between Merlin's legs was a bit of black satin and a puff of frilly white lace. "What the fuck is this?" he said, calling Merlin's attention to the fabric before stuffing it inside, his knuckles very nearly brushing Merlin's crotch as he did so.

"French maid ensemble," Merlin said with a cheeky grin. "Never know what sort of twisted fantasies a punter is going to have. Best to be prepared."

"So this thing with my father wasn't a onetime thing for you?"

Merlin shrugged and toyed with the edge of the suitcase. "I'm sort of a serial-relationship bloke. And I use the term relationship loosely."

"For how long?" Arthur wondered aloud.

"Since I was seventeen." Merlin sighed. "Why are you here, Arthur? Do you really want my whole depressing life-story?

"Why don't you move in with me and my friends?" Arthur offered suddenly. He didn't know why, other than the thought of Merlin offering himself up for abuse at some stranger's hands was more distressing than it should have been. "There's an extra room and we were going to set it up for gaming but we'll be busy with classes. You might as well take it, until you can get into uni yourself. It'll only be a few months and that way, you don't have to go back to..."

"What? Whoring? I don't have to do it, I've told you before, I like it. Makes me hot. So what if it pays the bills, too. Win-win." Merlin wasn't looking at Arthur now and his neck was corded with tension.

"Merlin..." Arthur said again.

"I don't want your charity, Arthur Pendragon!' Merlin spat.

"How about my money?" Arthur pulled his wallet free and deposited it into Merlin's hands.

Merlin looked startled for a moment but then boldly opened the billfold, and counted the cash.

"You don't know what you're asking for," Merlin hissed as he looked up at Arthur once more.

"You, completely at my disposal?" Arthur moved his hand to Merlin's thigh and noticed the way Merlin's breath quickened. "I think I'm fairly certain."

"You wouldn't know what to do with me..." Merlin protested. His right hand bunched the fabric of Arthur's sleeve, holding him fast.

"So teach me..." Arthur breathed and before he knew what was going on, he was kissing Merlin. Or Merlin was kissing him. But either way it was over too fast.

Merlin shoved him back and wiped his mouth, eyeing Arthur critically. Then, he scissored the cash from Arthur's wallet and flung it, empty, back at him. Merlin held the bills up. "You pay in cash..." Arthur nodded enthusiastically. "You pay the same rate as your father. I'm not of the mind to give family discounts or lower the price because you're inept."

"Okay."

"This is three day's worth." Merlin waved the cash before stuffing it into his pocket, which was now bulging with the combined contributions of the Pendragon family. "Consider it your trial period. If you're even more shit than I expect you'll be -and my expectations for you are quite low, mind- I walk."

"Fine," Arthur agreed.

"It starts now."

"Now?" Arthur repeated.

"Yes, right the fuck now, this instant, because it has been far too long since I've had a proper fuck. Now shut the bloody door, because while I don't mind an audience, I have absolutely no desire to provide wank fodder for your father. He's always wanted you to join us, been trying for years. Since the beginning really, and I--"

"Merlin!" Arthur interrupted. Merlin's jaw dropped slightly and Arthur kissed him again, mumbling, “shut up," into Merlin's mouth.

"Door," Merlin commanded and shoved Arthur away from him hard enough to make him stumble.

In the short time that it took Arthur to exact Merlin's orders, Merlin had completely undressed and sprawled naked at the top of the bed. It was inhumanly possible. "How did you-" Arthur gaped.

"Magic." Merlin smirked and Arthur rolled his eyes. Imperiously, Merlin said, "Off with your clothes."

"A magician and a comedian?" Arthur said, stripping his shirt off quickly. He began to tug off his belt and his trousers would soon follow. "Let's hope you're good at this sex-worker thing, or you've failed on all accounts."

Merlin tasked. "If that is your idea of dirty talk, it is sorely lacking. Now, get on the bed. I'll have you know, I can be a very pushy bottom unless you put me in my place. Are you up to task?"

"Uhh..." Arthur lifted the suitcase and duffle bag to the floor. "You mean you don't want to go about this in the usual fashion? Assess my initial performance and go from there?"

"Arthur," Merlin regarded him very seriously. "I haven't had vanilla sex in over six years. I am not about to start now. Now, get your arse on the bed and I'll walk you through this."

Arthur knelt hesitantly beside Merlin. Sex had never been so scripted before.

"Right. So. Everything that your high school girlfriend hated? That's what I want from you." Merlin lifted his eyebrow and tipped his head toward Arthur. "Hair? Pull it. Back? Scratch it. Nipples...bite them. Love-bites? The more, the better. I want you to fuck me so hard, I'll still be thinking about it three days from now, which, incidentally is when I'll decide whether or not you're worth my time. Got me?"

"Jesus Christ on a cracker..." Arthur nodded. He felt his cock bob almost in time with his head and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Merlin's eyes travelled down Arthur's body. He sucked in a breath and sat forward, running one finger over the head and down the shaft as he licked his lips. "God, if I had known you had such a glorious cock, I might have conceded to you sooner than this..."

"Don't," Arthur said, recoiling slightly. "Don't talk to me like one of your punters. I've wanted you since the day you came with my name on your lips, and your bullshit doesn't impress me."

"Yeah?" Merlin curled his long, thin fingers around his equally long, thin prick and gave it a few slow strokes. After Merlin released himself, he reached for Arthur's hip, tugging him closer. "You really do have a beautiful cock, and one of these days, you're going to make me worship it properly. But what I want right now is for you to bury it so far in my arse that I taste it when you come."

"Oh God, yes!" Arthur breathed. He couldn't help it. He'd wanted Merlin for some time now. He never thought that his fantasy would be actualised, and yet here he was, naked before Merlin, sharing his breaths. Merlin's hand was on his hip, faintly stroking as he put words to the images in Arthur's brain.

Without looking away from him, Merlin dug through his bedside drawer with one hand, shoving a bottle of KY into Arthur's chest before reclining into his pillows with legs splayed. "Is it a mistake to assume you know how to do this?" Arthur's hesitation gave way to Merlin swearing. "I forgot that as a member of the privileged elite, you're incapable of wiping your own arse, let alone lubing someone else's....for God's sake, open the top and pour a good lot on your first two fingers. Fucking splendid. Now hand me the bottle, because God knows you can't be trusted to multitask. Oh for the love of...give me your hand!"

Merlin shoved the lube onto the bedside table and grabbed Arthur's wrist, drawing it between his legs, positioning Arthur's fingers against his hole. Arthur's fingertips greased Merlin's skin and his furled entrance in tentative strokes. "You have done this in general, yeah? Fucking blokes? Because God help us all if you're a virgin."

Arthur arched an eyebrow and pushed one finger into Merlin. "I have done this before...'fucking blokes', as you've so eloquently put it." Arthur didn't tell Merlin that, for the record, he'd only actually fucked two blokes and that one of them had been a drunken one-off, the other a tryst with a prostitute, neither of which he'd had the opportunity to prepare himself. This was officially the first time he'd had his finger inside of someone's arse, and he gave it an experimental wiggle, marvelling at the silken heat, the grip, the way Merlin impatiently snarked at him.

"Great. Get on with it then. Just grease me up and don't worry so much about the stretch, I like a bit of rough trade if you know what I mean." Merlin tucked his hands behind his head, arching and hissing as Arthur pulled away, then returned with two lubed fingers. He grunted, "Good enough. Would you prefer me on hands and knees?"

Arthur was too busy watching his fingers disappear inside of Merlin to formulate much of a response. "Whatever you like best," he murmured.

"I'd really like for you to show me that you're not a complete clotpole." Merlin sighed loudly.

Without warning, Arthur slipped his fingers free of Merlin, flipped him over onto his belly, and swatted his behind. "No wonder my father-" he started to say, but Merlin was laughing - _laughing_ \- into the pillows.

Merlin pushed himself up on one arm and looked over his shoulder. "Did you just...I mean, was that supposed to be...Arthur Pendragon! I can tell you've never been spanked a day in your life!" He dissolved into giggles again.

"My God, you never shut it, do you? Maybe this was a bad idea. We should just forget this..." Arthur felt flush with irritation and started to push away from Merlin.

Merlin twisted and grabbed a hold of Arthur's wrist. "Wait. We can still do this. Let's just...forget about the spanking and stuff for now. Alright? I already told you that I’m a very pushy bottom and...well, never mind that for now, too. Just, there's one sure way to shut me up and I'll give you a hint - it's not running away."

Arthur stared at Merlin for a minute, and the familiar warring senses of wanting to deck him and wanting to fuck him played out again.

"I'm not giving your money back." Merlin smirked and tugged on Arthur’s wrist again. “Don’t you at least want to see what you’ve thrown your money away on?”

Arthur let his eyes flicker over Merlin and he hoped he’d managed to keep an impassive face. “I’ve seen it. A number of times, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“And you haven’t stopped thinking about it.” Merlin called his bluff. Then, he quirked his head with a knowing smile. "Or did you want me to beg for it? That's what's going to do it for you? The whore begging for your mighty cock? I'm good at this, you know."

"Shut up, Merlin,” Arthur snapped.

"Oh, I don't think you want me to...I think you want me to tell you how I like it," Merlin said, repositioning himself on the bed, lowering onto his elbows, pushing his arse in the air. He slid his own wide palm over his back end. He gave himself two solid spanks that left overlapping handprints then pulled his arse cheek to the side, exposing his glistening, pink hole to Arthur. "Come on, Arthur. Don't you want me? I want you... I haven't been properly fucked in _ages_ and I know you're the man for the job."

Arthur's lip curled. "I said I didn't particularly care for your bullshit routine, Merlin."

Merlin ignored him in favour of sucking on two of his spindly fingers until they were slick with spit. His chin was shoved into the coverlet now as he reached behind himself again, teasing his rim, pushing inside, pumping slowly, groaning, "If you won't do it, I'll have to take care of myself, because I need it, Arthur. You have no idea how badly I want it. I love being filled, stretched tight around a hot cock, helpless while it pounds into me. I want you to fuck me wide open, split me in half, paint my insides with come..."

"Bloody hell..." Arthur swore, pumping his cock with his fist. Merlin really did know just how to grab his attention. He stepped nearer to Merlin again, wrenching Merlin's fingers out of himself. "You want it, you're gonna get it, baby."

Merlin smiled triumphantly and pointed to his bedside table. "Condom."

Arthur hesitated, and for no good reason.

Merlin was already leaning forward, his body lithely stretching and covering the bed. Arthur couldn't help but straddle his hips then, just to feel Merlin beneath him. But Merlin froze momentarily. "I fuck people for money, and you...God knows how many people you've been with. Put a fucking condom on until we can get tested." He held a foil packet up between his fingers.

Arthur took it and opened the package with his teeth. "You wound me. I am neither a slut nor an idiot."

"That remains to be seen." Merlin cast a look of assessment over his shoulder and pursed his lips. "Don't you have that thing on yet?"

Arthur grumbled and ground his latex-protected cock into the crack of Merlin's arse.

In response, Merlin bucked beneath Arthur, drawing his legs beneath himself and once more presenting his arse up. "Don't hold back. Give it to me hard."

The last thing Arthur wanted was to be a disappointment. He plunged into Merlin without preamble and began a series of long, solid thrusts that left them both grunting. His hips slammed into Merlin's backside and Arthur was sure they were both going to have bruises to show for it.

"Oh, Christ, yes!" Merlin twisted handfuls of the coverlet into soft peaks and moaned into the fabric, muting his sounds of pleasure.

Arthur reached forward, twisting his hand into Merlin's hair so that he could yank him up. Merlin yelped in surprise and it made Arthur's rhythm falter, but he reminded himself that Merlin was keen on this. "Wanna hear all the pretty sounds you make when I fuck you just right..." Arthur breathed.

"Unhh! Yes..." Merlin groaned, tugging his head against Arthur's grip. "More, God, Arthur, I need more!"

Arthur had no idea what else he could possibly provide for Merlin, but after a moment, he hoisted Merlin upright and pressed his mouth to Merlin's ear. "Are you trying to tell me what to do?" Arthur growled, his tongue tracing the shell of cartilage.

"Ah! God, no. No, Sir!" Merlin panted. "I just, Arthur, touch me...please! Scratch me, bite me, tell me all the things you want to do to me...I need to feel consumed by you!"

Arthur shoved his cock into Merlin and curled his left arm around Merlin's belly to keep him in place. Then, he slowly raked the fingernails of his right hand from Merlin's left shoulder to his right hip. "The next time I fuck you...I'm going to tie you down to the bed and gag you so that all you can do is lie there and take it..." Arthur said and pulled his hips back, languidly stroking back into Merlin.

"Yeah..." Merlin agreed loudly as he grabbed Arthur's hand and redirected it toward one of his nipples, which was a small tight bud beneath Arthur's fingers.

"Going to fuck you the way I want to," Arthur promised and pinched Merlin's nipple tightly. He felt Merlin jerk against him and continued to narrate one of the fantasies he'd had about Merlin. It helped that Merlin wasn't looking at him because otherwise, he didn't think that he would have been able to speak so freely or so confidently. "Going to use you and leave you there, covered in my come."

Merlin swore lowly. "Put your hand on my cock, please!"

Arthur pinched and tugged Merlin's nipple again. "Put your hand on your own cock if you're that desperate. I paid for your services, not the other way around."

Merlin whimpered and clenched around Arthur's cock, then began to touch himself in earnest, rocking back on Arthur's length when Arthur resumed thrusting.

Without the condom, Arthur probably would have come by now, and as it was, he was getting close. He untangled his fingers from Merlin's hair and bent him back over the mattress, increasing both his speed and force behind each thrust. Arthur's orgasm bore down on him and quickly overcame him. He pushed into Merlin and stilled, feeling the warm backwash of semen from the reservoir tip of the condom.

"Did you just--?" Merlin breathed.

"Yeah," Arthur winced, unsure if he had breached some unspoken rule of etiquette. "Sorry."

"No, it's good...I'm close."

"Why are you telling me?" Arthur asked. He had always been curious about Merlin's last-minute warnings.

"In case you want to stop me."

"No, keep going," Arthur said, reaching in front of Merlin and wrapping his hand around Merlin's, their fingers flying over Merlin's cock together.

Merlin gasped, grunted, and shoved himself back on Arthur's semi-hard length. Then, his entire body tensed and stilled, and Merlin cried out softly as he bucked into the clasp of their hands, spilling his release. Then, with a practiced rock, Merlin uncoupled them and slid his prick free from their fists.

Arthur felt his hand pulled upward and then Merlin's tongue was there, poking between his fingers and sliding over his palm, cleaning him. He revelled in the sensation until it dawned on him that Merlin was eating his own come. "Christ. What are you doing?"

"I dunno. Force of habit. Tell me to stop if you don't like it,” Merlin said, releasing Arthur's hand. He eased down onto one side, curling comfortably and began licking his own hand clean.

Arthur was too busy peeling and tying off the condom to respond. Merlin took it from him and dropped it in a bin as Arthur slung his arm back over Merlin's torso.

"Didn't peg you for a cuddler," Merlin said and Arthur grunted in response. "Just for a minute though, I want to get out of here."

Arthur sighed and tipped his nose into Merlin's shoulder, where he could smell the undertones of Merlin’s aftershave and just a slight musk of sweat. He sighed with satisfaction, then retorted, "Shut up, Merlin."


	2. Chapter 2

Merlin was drifting in and out of sleep, thinking about Uther for some unexplainable reason: wondering where the last two years of his life had gone as well as why and how he'd put up with Uther for that long. With some effort, Merlin recalled the first time he had met Uther Pendragon. He'd found the business tycoon ruggedly handsome in the way that only experienced older men could pull off. Merlin had initially been drawn to Uther's air of confidence and his regal comportment, then later by the ease with which he dominated all of those around him.

If Merlin had had any sort of inkling that Uther's cool detachment bordered on psychosis, he would have run far and fast just to distance himself. By the time he realized what Uther truly was however, Merlin was already in over his head but the money was good and if nothing else, he could chalk it up to one big learning experience.

Besides, Uther's son Arthur had captured Merlin's eye the first time he'd seen him. Blonde, fit and athletic with a radiant smile, football-toned thighs and a perfect arse...there was no denying that Arthur was a beautiful boy even if he was just that, and more often than not, an arrogant prick to boot.

The thing was, sometimes, Arthur looked at Merlin like Merlin was something to behold and not just a worthless whore to be crushed beneath his thumb. And it was in those moments that Merlin stupidly dreamed that they could be more than friends. Other times, Arthur's pitying looks made Merlin feel so ashamed of himself that it hurt and had him wishing that it were possible to make himself a better person for Arthur.

Not that Merlin ever stood a chance with the likes of Arthur Pendragon: educated, privileged, wealthy beyond compare...Still, Merlin enjoyed the occasional reminder that he was not entirely incapable of normal human emotions, even if they did centre around someone who would never amount to more than wank-fodder.

Merlin's boyish crush on Arthur had not been lost on the Pendragon Scion and Uther had exploited Merlin's innocent emotions, twisting them, sullying them by including Arthur in his games. Arthur had always had too much integrity to participate beyond watching, and Merlin admired him for that

After a while, Merlin realised that he was overly hot, sweaty and uncomfortable. He kicked at the bedclothes, jerking awake as he realized that the heat source in his bed was not the comforter but the body behind him. _Arthur_. Merlin sat up abruptly then climbed out of bed, fumbling for his clothes in the dimly lit room for a moment before letting his magic flare, silently summoning them to himself.

A minute later, Merlin heard Arthur suck in a breath as he too awoke, mumbling, "What time is it?"

Merlin glanced at the clock. "Quarter past eleven." They'd been asleep for less than two hours, but that was almost two hours too long for Merlin, who couldn't remember the last time he'd shared his bed. It was presumptuous, overly familiar, a mistake. "You have to get out of here."

"What? Me?" Arthur's voice was adorably groggy with sleep. "We can go in the morning."

"Fine. You stay, I'll go," Merlin said, wincing at the soreness that twinged deep inside of him as he bent to draw on his pants and jeans.

"I thought you were coming to mine?" Arthur said, finally sitting up.

"Thanks, but no thanks," Merlin snapped as he crammed his feet into his trainers. He tried to imagine what waking up to Arthur everyday would be like. On one hand, he was incredibly easy on the eyes. On the other hand, Arthur was a gigantic pain in the arse, in more ways than one. He'd had his fun bedding the young Pendragon, but now it was best he moved on.

"Don't be a pillock, Merlin." Arthur sighed. "You shouldn't be out on the street."

"In case you've forgotten, I do have enough money in my front pocket to pay for a hotel. A nice one. For at least a week." Merlin made a show of patting the bulge in the front of his denims, and just this once, it wasn’t his cock. "Anyway, I'm sure my mum would be happy to loan me her sofa."

"Allow me to remind you that I am paying you my father's live-in rate,” Arthur said pointedly. "Naturally, I prefer you living where I am living. For the sake of convenience, and all that."

Merlin thought that Arthur ought to feel a bit shitty about throwing that in Merlin's face, but the bottom line was, he had just paid Merlin an indecent amount of money for three days of his time. He probably wanted -and was entitled to- his money's worth. Still, Merlin wasn't willing to concede that easily. "So you own me now?" He began checking the room, grabbing stray items and cramming them into his duffle.

"Merlin!" Arthur emphasized with an eye roll.

"No, no. It's fine, really. You entitled twats are all the same. Let me grab my toothbrush and we'll both go back to your half-furnished flat with all of your rich-brat friends who will no doubt be able to hear us in every corner of the place. But what do you care? You've practically been raised on voyeurism, haven't you?"

"That's hardly fair!" Arthur protested and followed Merlin down the hall and into the guest bathroom where he was amassing a collection of personal-care products in the crook of his arm.

"I call it how I see it," Merlin said, attempting to balance his toothbrush on the pile, then giving up and cramming it into his mouth, clenching his jaw around the plastic. On returning to the bedroom and finding there was no possible way to cram anything else into the suitcase or duffle, he divested a pillow of its cover and stuffed his personals inside.

When Merlin struggled to lift everything at once, Arthur was forced to wrestle the large suitcase away from him. "Give it here,” he said with an exasperated tone, then shooed Merlin out the door.

Merlin practically ran down the stairwell, drawing up short at the bottom with a scowl. Arthur nudged him out of the way with the suitcase.

Uther was sitting regally in an armchair and Mordred was perched between his thighs, his mouth stretched around three of Uther's gloved fingers. Merlin didn't know whether to feel smug, or disgusted on Mordred's behalf: in the not too-distant past, those very same gloved fingers had been knuckle deep in Merlin's arse.

Amused, Uther regarded Merlin and Arthur over the rims of his spectacles. "Honestly, who am I to judge what turns you on? But taking my leavings?" He laughed coldly. "He's stretched out, used up. He's not even that obedient. He's rubbish, Arthur. But, well, if you want to waste your money on him..."

Humiliation lanced through Merlin, making his gut clench. It was something that Uther had said to him on a daily basis for the last two years, but now that it was no longer under the pretence of powerplay, the words carried a hefty sting. His face burned and he looked at the floor.

"Indeed." Arthur narrowed his eyes at Uther and shifted the heavy suitcase. "We're taking off then. I might be back for a few more things, though I suppose I'll ring you when I'm settled."

Uther waved his free hand dismissively and Merlin chose that moment to flee. He couldn't stand another moment in the Pendragon residence. The door slammed behind him and he was hit with a wall of icy air. He'd forgotten his coat in his haste, but there was no way he was going back for it. He could buy another, or he could get Arthur to buy one for him. There were special privileges afforded to kept boys of the elite and perverted.

Merlin didn't see Arthur's red Aston Martin in the circular drive, nor was it anywhere that Merlin could see on either on the driveway leading in trim the security gate. There was, however, a brand new, platinum Cadillac Escalade. In a fleeting moment of jealousy, Merlin thought perhaps it was Mordred's and wished he'd had a set of keys to defile it..Then, the lights flashed and the locking mechanisms clicked before the engine roared to life.

Over his shoulder, Merlin saw Arthur coming down the steps, overburdened with Merlin's suitcase and coat in one hand, keys and his own coat in the other. Merlin tried to reclaim his things but Arthur waved him off in favour of loading everything into the boot of the Escalade himself. Merlin passed over his duffle and the pillowcase then shrugged into his coat.

"What are you waiting for, a formal invitation? Get in the car before you freeze your bollocks off." Arthur slammed the boot down and went around to the front, climbing into the driver's seat.

Merlin winced again as he hiked his leg in order to climb into the SUV.

Arthur quirked his eyebrow as he turned the key in the ignition and flicked on the lights. "How's your arse?"

"Bit sore, thanks for asking," Merlin snarked and hauled himself in, slamming the door.

"Did you get the bang for your buck?" Arthur chuckled and put the car in gear.

"I cannot believe you just went there." Merlin bit back a smile and Arthur grinned at him.

"You want the arse-warmers on?" Arthur pushed a button and there was a warm sensation suddenly spreading through Merlin's bottom.

Merlin looked down before thumbing the heated leather seats. "Feels a bit like I'm pissing myself."

"You'd better not be. Gwaine will retaliate in kind with my Aston, and then I'll have to pay the favour back on you." Arthur said, speeding toward the gate.

Merlin made a mental note about the Gwaine fellow who was apparently close enough to Arthur to loan him his expensive, shiny, new car. "How do you know I won't like it?" Merlin said.

Arthur's head turned toward him and he looked astounded. "Do you?"

Merlin shrugged as he looked out the window. "It's not myfavourite and I'm not particularly fond of having piss in my mouth, but if it's on your to-do list, I suppose I could help you out."

"Ew," Arthur said with a shudder. "No. Let's keep waste products away from sexy times, yeah?"

"Shared plumbing..." Merlin alluded with a shrug. "Whatever you like, though."

"While we're on the topic..." Arthur slowed as the gate opened, then breezed through it and pulled into the street. "Why don't you tell me what you don't like."

"There isn't much, really...shit. Vomit. Blood. Needles, knives, anything that's going to scar or maim. Branding...I guess that's probably it. How about you?" Merlin began nervously playing with his fingers, though he wasn't sure why. This was Arthur, good and noble, and only slightly freaky. On a scale of Vanilla to Uther, Arthur was a medium twist with hundreds-and-thousands, at best.

"What you said..." Arthur agreed, sounding as if he'd been punched in the stomach. "Yeah, let's go with that."

That rest of the night passed awkwardly, as Merlin and Arthur were alone in the flat. Merlin played FIFA with Arthur just to pass the time, though he would rather have been left alone to play button-mashing games on his phone or watch the telly. He wasn't used to hanging out with people. Uther had only wanted him for one thing and dismissed him when he was through. Arthur's constant presence had him on edge and wanting until they decided to call it a night.

In the morning, Merlin awoke to the clutter of his things, strewn about the room. After performing his usual ablutions, he dressed and began to put his things away in the closet. Even if he was only going to be there a few days, he didn't want to go through the trouble of ironing all of his things, and some of his outfits might not recover if they were left crumpled for much longer.

After some time, Arthur stumbled in, looking adorably sleep rumpled and with a shade of stubble that Merlin longed to feel against his thighs. He was dressed but unshowered, and Merlin was embarassed to find himself wondering what Arthur smelled like. He must have had a telling expression on his face because Arthur looked amused as he gave Merlin the once over before reclining on the sofa to watch him.

"This alright?" Merlin asked, holding a hanger aloft.

"Sure," Arthur replied with a shrug. "Want some help?"

Merlin soon learned that Arthur's offer was just a guise to unabashedly paw through all of his things, but he found he didn't much mind. Glancing over, Merlin found Arthur currently poking through the toybox with a confused expression on his face. Merlin smirked to himself and stopped hanging his trousers in the closet, moving closer to him.

As Merlin neared, he saw that Arthur was delicately fingering a dick-leash with a triple-cock ring at one end. The thought of Arthur putting that on him and giving a short but sharp tug had his erection awakening. Arthur looked up, flushed, and pulled his fingers out of the small chest as though he'd been burned.

"You should look," Merlin said with a casual shrug that undermined his racing pulse. "You see anything you like, you let me know. You have questions, ask. And I'd be happy to model something for you." Merlin let his eyes linger on Arthur for a moment then turned back to the task of putting his clothes away. As much as part of him would have loved to snark Arthur into fleeing from the room, the other part of him very much wanted Arthur to use those toys on him. So, he kept his mouth and his curiosity to himself.

After a while, Merlin's body was thrumming in unpromised anticipation and he was tuned in to Arthur's every move.Arthur had barely made a sound in his throat and Merlin found himself whirling in order to make himself readily available.

Arthur held a cock-cage in his palm and, sparing a glance for Merlin, said, "Your dick has been in this, hasn't it?" The words were not laced with distaste but rather, concern. Merlin nodded and began explaining what the cage was for. "But why wouldn't I want you hard for me, like, all the time?" Arthur interrupted, his eyebrows drawn together.

Merlin licked his lips. "It means I couldn't get hard for anyone or anything but you, and only when you wanted it...because my body, my _cock_ is yours to control."

Arthur groaned and his fingers curled around the chastity device. "That shouldn't be so fucking hot..."

"But somehow, it is, right?" Merlin's eyes locked with Arthur's. “Welcome to my world.”

Arthur couldn't stare Merlin down and broke their gaze, taking deep breaths as he looked everywhere but Merlin's face.

"Is that what you want, Arthur? Complete and total control of me?" Merlin couldn't help rubbing himself through his jeans.

Arthur's voice was strangely tight as he echoed Merlin's words from the night before back to him. "I don't know how to be what you need."

Merlin pried the cock-cage from Arthur's fingers and dropped it back into the chest. As he sank to his knees in front of Arthur, he pulled Arthur's hand to the side of his head, refraining from nuzzling into it but just barely. "You just tell me what you want and I'll take care of the rest."

Arthur brushed his thumb over the shell of Merlin's ear, shifting his hand back, tipping Merlin's face up. "God, why did you do that? Get on your knees...do you have any idea what I’m thinking now?”

"Some." Merlin bit his lip and glanced away. "It wasn't an accident. I'm kind of hoping you'll tell me that you want to fuck my face, because I've been dying to taste you since yesterday."

Arthur's fingers tightened in Merlin's hair and Merlin shuddered as a delightful tingle ran through him. "Do it," Arthur said, his eyes clouding with lust.

"Yeah?" Merlin reached up, pinching the button of Arthur fly open and lowering the zip. Arthur's cock was already nosing its way through the slit in his boxers and Merlin reverently freed it to stand proudly between them. He inched closer, eyes never leaving Arthur's cock, which was truly a thing of beauty: slightly longer than average and thick with a slight upward curve. Merlin ducked his head, pressing his nose into the nest of golden curls at the base of Arthur's cock. He was musky beneath the lingering traces of his cologne, and the masculine scent made Merlin's mouth water. As he pulled away, Merlin dragged his tongue along the underside of Arthur's cock, teasing the pulsing vein. At the tip of Arthur's cock was a single bead of clear fluid and Merlin collected it with a broad swipe of his tongue.

Exercising all of his restraint, Merlin then sat back on his heels. He clenched his hands a few times but forced them into a relaxed position on his thighs.

After a moment, Arthur opened his eyes and looked down at Merlin. "What the hell?"

"You said I could taste," Merlin said carefully. It was important for Arthur to have a demonstration of Merlin's obedience, allowing Arthur the chance to properly lead. It would have been easy for Merlin to control or manipulate the situation because of Arthur's inexperience, but Merlin knew that if this was going to go long term, neither of them would be satisfied. He was going to teach Arthur domination through his own careful and considerate submission. Or at least he was going to try.

"Don't stop!" Arthur said, impatiently tugging on Merlin's hair.

"Should I taste again?" Merlin asked, flicking his tongue at Arthur's slit.

"More..." Arthur groaned.

"Lick?" Merlin prompted, flattening his tongue and dragging it over Arthur's shaft. He was deliberately being a tease whilst providing Arthur with important vocabulary for future encounters.

"Merlin!" Arthur yanked him rather forcibly and Merlin grinned. It was not often that he'd been able to make Uther lose his iron grip on control. It was moments like these that made him see the appeal of dominating.

"Suck?" Merlin whispered hoarsely and folded his lips over the head of Arthur's cock, lapping gently, hollowing his cheeks before pulling back. He glanced up at Arthur, whose face had two perfect, pink circles forming high on the apples of his cheeks.

"Merlin, so help me, I really will fuck your mouth if you don't stop teasing me."

Merlin opened his mouth and flattened his tongue to receive Arthur.

Arthur stroked himself firmly and shook his head. "I'm not just going to... I mean, do you _really_ want me to?"

Merlin sighed heavily and reached toward Arthur's muscular thighs with their dusting of golden hairs and thumbed them before tugging Arthur gently toward him. "I suggested it, didn't I? When I said I wanted you to, I meant it. Anyway, you paid me, Arthur. In exchange, I'm yours. For... almost anything you want to do. You don't have to ask me. If I get uncomfortable or I want you to slow down, I'll say 'yellow'. If I say 'red', you stop right away, no questions asked. Otherwise, my consent is implied. Okay?"

Dubiously, Arthur nodded. "What if...you're not in a position to respond verbally?"

"If I'm choking on your cock, you mean?" Merlin laughed and tapped his fingers against Arthur's leg in demonstration. "Two for yellow. Three for red. I'll start, shall I?"

"Yeah. Yeah, okay," Arthur agreed and his fingers dug into Merlin's scalp when he began sucking Arthur again in earnest. "Ah, fuck. Yeah, that's the bloody way."

Merlin tipped his chin up, elongating his throat and preparing to take Arthur deeper. He allowed a few experimental bumps, flattened his tongue, and adjusted the angle of his head. Then, with a deep breath, Merlin pressed forward, swallowing Arthur down to the root. No matter the number of times he had done this or something like it, he always gagged on the first thrust. He hated it, hated feeling like an amateur, hated that he couldn't perfectly control his own body. The only thing Merlin could do after that was prove his skill. So he didn't hesitate, pulling back and going down on Arthur again.

The only sign that Arthur had felt Merlin's moment of discomfort was a single unfinished word of protest that morphed into a throaty moan halfway through. That was one of Arthur's finer qualities-he was easy to please and vocal when being pleased. It made Merlin's job easier, more rewarding. It made Merlin want to do everything in his power just to hear that sound again.

Uther was the silent, stoic type. He would redirect you as necessary, only the occasional panting breath served as a testament that he was not actually made of stone. A grunt and a shaky inhalation would accompany his bitter release and before Merlin could swallow, the wall was back in place.

"That feels brilliant, oh my God..." Arthur's voice shook Merlin from his untimely comparison before he got too deeply into that familiar, angry head space.

Merlin smiled around his mouthful and dug his fingers into Arthur's hip, encouraging Arthur to take up his own rhythm.

"Are you sure?" Arthur breathed, lightly brushing Merlin's hair with his fingertips.

The gesture was appreciated. Arthur was kind and probably too good for this lifestyle. It made Merlin feel like he was corrupting something pure and in turn, that made him sort of sad. Merlin glanced at Arthur once more. He could imagine what he must look like in Arthur's eyes. Like a greedy slag with his lips wrapped around a cock and begging to be face-fucked. None of it was untrue, though.

Merlin liked giving up control, liked when he could hand over the reins and trust that his lover was going to get him where he needed to go. Between Uther's recent inattention and Arthur's inexperience, Merlin was sure that it was going to be a long stretch before he got to that floaty, dreamy state of comfort and bliss. If Uther had been good for anything, it had been getting him there. There was a chance that this might do it for him though, so he nodded eagerly. _Yes, Arthur. Please fuck my throat._

Arthur moved carefully, his hands gingerly cradling Merlin's face as he tipped his hips forward and back. Merlin let his eyes fall shut and tried to lose himself in the rhythm, but the pads of Arthur's fingers were like kisses on his eyelids, his cheeks, the corners of his mouth. _Hurt me!_ Merlin wanted to scream. _Fuck me, push me to my limits!_ But the other part of him was in awe of the tender treatment.

Merlin hadn't even been aware of his tears spilling down his cheeks. They always did, it was the body's natural reaction to this sort of intrusive violation but Arthur mustn't have known, because he was stopping, dropping to his knees, wiping Merlin's face with his shirt sleeve, apologising. "God, Jesus, fuck. I'm sorry! Fuck, Merlin. I don't want to hurt you."

"You didn't." Merlin sighed, brushing the tears away. "I'm fine. It happens. Here, just let me finish you...oh." As Merlin reached for Arthur's cock, he found it disappointingly at half-mast.

"Your tears are not a turn-on for me," Arthur said seriously.

"It's okay!" Merlin said. "Maybe it was just too much, too fast. But you have to trust me that I'll safeword when I need to...and you have to trust that tears don't always mean pain, or that pain is always a bad thing."

"Objectively, I get that Merlin. I need time to work my head around it, I guess. I'm sorry if I bollixed up the...the scene," Arthur said as he looked away.

"There's no such thing as a ruined scene if you're stopping out of concern for my well being or yours," Merlin promised, laying his hands on either side of Arthur's face and kissing him briefly. "You're a sweet kid, Arthur, but kink isn't for everyone and don't feel like you have to--"

"I don't," Arthur interrupted. "I don't feel like I have to. But watching it, researching it...it's so very different from participating in it. And I don't have to be experienced to know what my father did to you was wrong. I'm pretty sure telling you that he'd fire you for safewording was a major violation of...everything. Rules, etiquette, your trust..."

Merlin pushed away from Arthur, tugging his hair down over his ears just to give his fingers something to do. "Shit just got way too serious, way too fast. Forgive me if I'm having trouble with that segue." Merlin clambered into the couch that had been purchased back when this was originally going to be a gaming room. He drew his knees up and wrapped his arms around them.

Arthur followed, tucking himself back into his pants. He perched next to Merlin and touched the tops of Merlin's knees. "You have to trust that I won't hurt you and that I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm not worried about it. I can handle it. In fact, I want you to. Half the stuff I like involves pain, and if you can't do that for me, then we're done here." Merlin was sulking and deliberately trying to push Arthur away. Except for his best (and only) friend Will who'd died in a car accident when he was sixteen, and his mum, Merlin had always been alone. And anyway, he'd always pushed the limits on safewording and the people he played with because he could always fall back in his magic if a scene went too far.

"I'm not talking about that kind of hurt," Arthur said earnestly.

"Oi! Arthur! You in here?" a voice called as the front door banged open.

Arthur's lips pursed and he regarded Merlin a moment.

Merlin rolled his eyes and shoved Arthur. "Go."

Arthur arched his brow at Merlin, then yelled, "In the gaming room, Gwaine!"

"I am not a party favour to be shared with your friends!" Merlin hissed angrily. He leapt up, collecting his toybox and stuffing it into the closet.

"Believe me, I have no intentions of sharing you," Arthur murmured as he smoothed his hair down and resumed his look of casual arrogance.

A ruggedly handsome man with tousled brown hair and a healthy smattering of dark stubble danced into the room. He had a wide, easy grin that extended to the corners of his eyes, which were like molten chocolate. So, this was Gwaine, the man who trusted Arthur with his expensive car and liked him well enough to share his living space...he was a fine specimen of masculinity and Merlin was willing to bet that he fucked like a champ, too. "Forget I said anything," Merlin said in Arthur's ear as he leaned over the back of the sofa and plastered on a friendly grin.

"Not a chance," Arthur retorted under his breath. "Gwaine! Sorry about last night. I would have loved to join you but I got a little caught up in helping out one of my friends...speaking of, this here's Merlin."

Gwaine offered his hand and Merlin came around to shake it.

"Merlin's had a bit of a situation...I told him he could kip on the sofa until he gets on his feet, if that's alright with you, Perce, and Lance, that is." Arthur waved his hand imperiously.

"Maybe just for a few more days..." Merlin added with a pointed look to Arthur.

"As long as you like," Gwaine breathed, rolling his thumb over Merlin's knuckles before releasing his hand.

Merlin's stomach did a flip-floppy-thing and his neglected cock was definitely taking an interest.

"Sorry, but Merlin was just leaving," Arthur interjected, leaning to look between them.

"I was?" Merlin sent an artificial smile Arthur's way.

"Yes. You were going down to the chippy on the corner to get us some lunch, remember?" Arthur stared at Merlin intently.

"Right...just put it on my tab then, shall I?" Merlin returned.

Arthur patted his pockets down then shrugged theatrically. "It seems I've unexpectedly run out of cash. You'll just have to make do."

Gwaine was already pulling a wad of bills from his pocket. "My treat, if you don't mind bringing some back for me."

"Of course not." Merlin's smile deepened and his fingers grazed Gwaine's as he accepted the cash. "How could I say 'no' to such a _generous_ offer?"

"Merlin!" Arthur growled.

"Very testy when he's hungry, isn't he?" Merlin joked, cocking his head in Arthur's direction. His gaze never swayed from Gwaine's.

Gwaine threw his head back, laughing in agreement as Arthur glowered from the couch.

"Guess I'll just be on my way before his highness gets his knickers in a twist." Merlin raised Gwaine's money and gave him a nod of acknowledgement before veritably sashaying from the flat.

Merlin returned with a grease-stained paper sack loaded to the brim with assorted vittles. He'd snuck a few chips on the walk back, but he was fairly certain that the top third of the entire sack was all chips, so he knew he wasn't shorting anyone.

Arthur and Gwaine had relocated to the living room and appeared deeply engrossed in one of the versions of FIFA, Merlin could never be arsed to tell the difference. Merlin rustled the paper sack noisily as he made a production of unpacking the lunch onto the table and it was Gwaine who paused the game in order to rummage through the take-away containers. Then, Arthur childishly slid onto the middle cushion on the couch, forcing Merlin and Gwaine into opposing corners.

Merlin found that irritating Arthur was both amusing and easy, especially when it came to flirting with Gwaine. As they ate, the three of them chatted about innocuous topics such as how Merlin knew Arthur (a friend of the family, Arthur had said), and what courses Merlin wanted to study (he was torn between molecular and cellular biology or ancient history and culture). The whole time, Merlin made a show of licking extraneous salt and vinegar from his fingertips and revelling in the fact that on more than one occasion, both Gwaine and Arthur had lost their end of the conversation for staring.

After the three of them had demolished entirely too much fried fare, Arthur and Gwaine turned their attention back to the console and Merlin announced that he was going to take a shower followed by a nap. Neither of them had seemed particularly concerned for the details, so when Arthur slipped into Merlin's room a few minutes later, Merlin was a bit surprised, although, they did have unfinished business together. "Arthur! What are you doing here?"

"I've come under the pretence of offering my apologies for acting like a prat,” Arthur said, nudging Merlin away from the closet door.

"Pretence?" Merlin replied as his smirk disappeared. "You mean you're not sorry?"

"No. And you're a proper arsehole." Arthur stooped and rummaged for a moment before straightening and approaching Merlin again. "How dare you make cow-eyes at Gwaine when you're ...when I've ...I've paid for your time?" He pushed something into Merlin's chest and stood back.

Merlin's fingers curled around the unforgiving metal of the cock cage. "Ah, I see the young Mr. Pendragon does have a sadistic side after all..."

"I don't want you wanking in the shower to thoughts of what Gwaine could do for you. And allow me to clarify that he's new money and barely more than a drunk-and in case you've lost the plot, what I mean by this is that he can't afford you long term, and his attention span doesn't last nearly long enough to exact one of your tedious games." Arthur looked at something else clenched in his fist, then held it palm up to Merlin.

Blood rushed into Merlin's face as he realized that Arthur was holding up the red buttplug with the Pendragon crest emblazoned on the base. "Not that one..." he stammered as the memory of displaying the plug to Arthur flooded back to him, unbidden.

"This one exactly, because you seem to need a reminder of who you belong to." Arthur smiled winningly.

A shudder rippled through Merlin. "Your father?"

Arthur's face darkened and he twisted Merlin's shirt in his fingers, jerking him closer. "Not him. Never him again. Me, you utter prat. The crest is as much mine as it is his. Moreso, because of what I stand to inherit." His eyes raked over Merlin hungrily. "Because of what I've already inherited...you're going to put it in and you're going to wait for me to pull it out and fuck you. And I can guarantee that is going to happen at least once today."

A warm, heady sensation washed over Merlin and he tentatively collected the plug from Arthur. Their fingers met and then Arthur's mouth was on him, their lips and teeth crashing together in the most brutal of kisses, however brief. Arthur's fingers dug into Merlin's pocket, brushing his burgeoning erection momentarily. Then, Merlin stumbled back as Arthur released him.

Arthur was busy punching keys on Merlin's phone, and when he was done, shoved it back at him. "I want pictures of you in that gear in ten minutes or less, or we're going to have a problem."

The thought of Arthur casually staring at his nethers while sitting next to Gwaine on the couch made Merlin dizzy with embarrassment. "No. No pictures," Merlin croaked. "You're going to have to trust me."

Arthur insisted. "Pictures, Merlin. And you'll just have to trust _me_ when I say they're for my viewing pleasure alone. Ten minutes." He tapped the face of his watch for emphasis.

With a sense of despair, Merlin looked down at the front of his trousers, which were obviously tented. "Arthur, that cage only goes on when I'm...you know, soft."

Arthur smirked and headed for the door. "That's really not my problem, Merlin. I don't particularly care how you get it on there, as long as you don't come as any part of the process. Now if you don't mind, my footy game is calling me."

Merlin scowled after him, then checked the time before grabbing his toiletries and his lube and heading to the bathroom. He had to use every trick in the book to manage his erection, and just the briefest thought of Arthur, his obvious jealousy, or the promise of further punishment had his cock rearing to life again.

Finally, Merlin managed to stuff himself in and forced the lock shut, leaving the key away from the sink on the countertop. Merlin was too aware of his tendency to fumble important objects and had a deep and abiding fear of sharp objects (like bolt-cutters) anywhere in the vicinity of his bollocks. He clicked a reasonable picture and sent it off to Arthur, who had listed himself in Merlin's directory as "Your Master" (which left Merlin wondering whether to laugh or grovel) and noted that he had exactly two minutes to insert the plug, take a picture, and send it. Challenge accepted.

Merlin put the plug in his mouth to warm it while he worked himself open. At the last minute, he decided to be cheeky and sent Arthur a snapshot of his lips around the plug. By the time he had it properly in place with a pic to boot, there was a text waiting for him.

... _keep it up and see where it gets you_...

Attaching the final pic of his arsehole, Merlin typed in response, _wish you were here..._ and sent it off before he could have second thoughts. Then, he climbed snickering, into the shower and began to wash.

Merlin dressed after his shower, remembering to take the key to his cock cage with him. He'd decided that he was going to nap in Arthur's bed rather than the comfortable but much too short couch in his room. Though he hadn't any replies from Arthur, he tossed the key down onto Arthur's bedside table and photographed it, sending one final message. _the key to my heart...don't lose it_.

He switched his phone off and didn't wait for a response before throwing back the bed clothes and climbing into Arthur's luxurious bed. Despite the discomfort of the sex toys, Merlin was soon asleep.

Merlin awoke to a delightful weight on his back and a hand in his hair. For a moment, he had hopes that Arthur was coming to collect on his promise already.

"Get up you lazy sod, we're going out with the boys." Arthur ground his pelvis into the Merlin's arse before leaping off of him.

"We?" Merlin groaned as he turned his head toward Arthur and sighed, digging a knuckle into his eyes. "I don't really do 'going out with the boys'. But I wouldn't mind a good, hard fuck..." He lifted his arse in presentation and waggled it in encouragement.

Arthur slapped Merlin's bottom. "Get a move on, then. If you're good, you might just get your wish."

Merlin sighed again and hauled himself out of Arthur's bed. As he stretched, his jeans fell down on his hips. Arthur's eyes followed the line of Merlin's hair down from his belly button and he licked his lips. Merlin grinned and lifted his shirt, running his free hand up his torso. "Sure I can't convince you to stay in?"

Arthur nodded at Merlin's crotch. "Let me see it."

Merlin dropped in his shirt in favour of unbuttoning his jeans and lowering the zip. He folded the edges of his fly outward, exposing the cage and himself to the cool air.

"Does it hurt?" Arthur asked, reaching toward it, stroking Merlin's wrinkled shaft between the rigid metal rings.

Arthur's touch was like an electric spark. Merlin's cock twitched and began to fill but soon reached the capacity of the cage. It strained against the metal, lifting slightly away from his body, making the ring circling his balls dig into the tender flesh there. "It didn't, before...not especially pleasant now..." Merlin said, unsuccessfully willing his erection away for the second time that day.

Arthur's fingers travelled to the lock and he fiddled with it for a moment. "Do you want me to let you out of this thing?"

Merlin's first instinct was to nod immediately and vigorously, but he knew that wasn't what either of them really wanted. He donned a sly smile instead. "Your wish is my command, Arthur."

Arthur nodded with approval. "Do up your fly and get a move-on, then. We're meeting Lance and Percy at the pub for drinks and nibbles....and so help me God, Merlin, if you can't keep your dick in your pants around my friends..."

"Somehow, I'm sure I'll manage..." Merlin tucked his jailed cock back into his trousers and gave it a reassuring pat. Arthur only smirked and held the bedroom door open for him.

At the pub, Merlin made innocent small talk with Arthur's friends while Arthur scrutinized everything Merlin said for hidden nuances. Merlin slowly nursed his lager, which tasted of long-standing water and bog people, in the hopes that Arthur wouldn't buy him another. Finally, Arthur snatched it away from him and polished it off, muttering about Merlin holding up the second round.

Gwaine was heading for the bar before the empty bottle hit the tabletop. He returned with shots for everyone and Lance groaned. "Here it is! The obligatory whisky-shots. Bottoms up and I've got the next..."

"Can you handle this?" Arthur asked, passing Merlin a shot-glass.

"Open mouth and swallow contents rapidly?" Merlin smirked. "Think I've got it."

Everyone raised their shots in a toast and Gwaine belted out, "Here's to you! Here's to me! Here's to sex...when it's free!" He winked flirtatiously at Merlin then sucked the whiskey down.

Everyone laughed as they tossed them back, except for Arthur who choked and slammed his glass down on the table top. He coughed into his fist for a moment, then knuckled his watery eyes.

"Amateur!" Gwaine crowed and gleefully stacked up the glasses. "Lance! You'd better bring him back something smoother...something with an umbrella in it!"

"Alright, there?" Merlin asked, thumping Arthur's back. Arthur glanced at him and his eyes were like an ocean storm: deep, dark, and turbulent.

Arthur shoved Merlin's hand away from him and hunched over the table, coughing again. "I'm fine!"

 

Merlin couldn't control Gwaine's shameless flirting, and no matter how much he tried to keep things neutral, there were some lead-ins that were too hard to ignore. Besides, he had Percy and Lance in stitches with some of his zingers and that was the point of a night out with the boys, wasn't it?

Arthur didn't seem to think so, however. At some point his hand had discreetly dropped into Merlin's lap and he had been dancing his fingers around the cage, making Merlin fight the urge to squirm. With Merlin's latest line of wit however, Arthur's fingers stopped their idle caressing and he pinched the inside of Merlin's thigh so hard that Merlin squealed into his glass of water.

"Sorry." Merlin flushed. "I have latent neuropathic pain syndrome...er, something on the telly...uh, Tourette's. Would you excuse me?"

Arthur stood as Merlin leapt to his feet. "You know, the gents' is remarkably difficult to find in this establishment. Let me show you where it is...and on the way back, next round is on me, boys, yeah?"

There was a cheer in Arthur's honour but Arthur already had his hand on Merlin's back, directing him with a not so subtle pressure.

"Arthur!" Merlin wasn't sure what he was protesting but his heart was thumping wildly in his chest and his hands were starting to sweat, the way they did when he was awaiting a punishment. "I swear I wasn't..."

Arthur leaned past Merlin to twist the door open. "Far stall." He directed in a clipped tone, crowding Merlin and locking the door behind him. He positioned Merlin's palms on the filthy wall of the stall and began to open Merlin's belt, then tugged Merlin's denims around his thighs.

Merlin's hips swayed back toward Arthur and he bit his lip to keep himself quiet. He felt Arthur tugging at the plug tentatively, twisting it. "Get this thing out." Arthur's breath came hotly in his ear.

"Tell me you've got a condom..." Merlin pleaded. He was going to die if Arthur hadn't come prepared.

The tell-tale rip of foil preceded Arthur's spitting, and Merlin's neck prickled as the corner of the packet bounced off him. Merlin sighed in relief and work the plug out of his hole. As soon as it was free, Arthur was yanking Merlin's hips back, battering his way inside. Merlin grunted and Arthur wrapped one arm around Merlin's chest, pulling him upright. "How can you just sit there with your arse filled with my insignia...with your cock locked up on my account and so...so shamelessly flirt with one of my best friends?" Arthur pulled back then pushed into Merlin again. Are you that big a slut Merlin? Would you have let Gwaine make use of your mouth if he wanted it?"

Merlin moaned softly. His cock and balls ached in their confinement. His arse, though loosened from the plug, had absorbed much of the lube from earlier, leaving a delicious burn in the wake of Arthur's forceful thrusts. And now, Arthur's words left him with the delightful imagery of being filled at both ends while still confined within the cock cage. Nevertheless, he shook his head. "Arthur...ah, fuck. No...no, I wouldn't let him..."

"Have you any idea," Arthur said in Merlin's ear. "How badly I've wanted you? Knowing you've just been waiting for me to fuck you since this afternoon...your pretty little hole all loose and just waiting for me to use it...fill it up with come and plug it up again?"

Merlin whimpered pitifully and Arthur rammed his cock into Merlin's prostate, making him go weak in the knees. "Wanna mark you up so everyone knows you're mine..."

"Oh God, Arthur, fuck me..." Merlin whined and pushed back against Arthur. He reached down to arrange the cage which was cutting unmercifully into his balls as his cock tried it's damndest to swell and rise against the steel rings designed to prevent that very thing. "Need it harder, ah, yeah..."

Arthur shoved Merlin forward against the door and fucked into him for all he was worth, the delicious combination of hard and fast and rough making something deep inside Merlin begin to fester, to coil.

The door banged open suddenly and Merlin froze, the reality of actually being caught in the act washing over him and making his whole body buzz with the thrill and the embarrassment of it. Arthur thrust four more times, the door of the stall rocking with the force of it. Then, he curled his hand into Merlin's hair, yanking and grunting and pushing into him balls deep before going rigid. Arthur's orgasm was accompanied by a muffled groan.

"Fucking shit-stabbers." The patron swore and kicked the stall before letting the bathroom door slam open and closed again.

Arthur pulled out and exhaled shakily. As Merlin was pushing the plug back into place, he heard the condom plop into the toilet bowl. Arthur hauled Merlin's denims back into place and righted him. "Can you make it back to the table alone?" Arthur sounded wrecked and Merlin could almost hear the unspoken implication that he, himself might have trouble.

Merlin nodded and clenched around the plug to keep it in place. "Yeah...."

"Give me a couple of minutes to get the drinks and then come back," Arthur instructed as he let them out of the stall and went to wash his hands. Merlin met Arthur's eyes in the mirror as Arthur tried to collect himself, smoothing down his hair and wiping the sweat from his brow. His eyes were heavy lidded, sated. In contrast, Merlin looked wild, on edge. "Do you think they'll figure it out?"

Merlin shrugged. "It's dark out there.”

"Shit."

"Would it really bother you?" Merlin wondered aloud.

Arthur shrugged in an offhanded way. "Hell of a way to come out to them."

"Anything worth doing..." Merlin alluded.

Arthur smiled an odd sort of smile then turned toward the door. Merlin spent a solid five minutes staring at himself in the mirror and trying to sort himself out.

The next time the bathroom door opened, Percival's hulk filled the frame. He paused to look of Merlin a moment. "You alright, mate?"

"Yeah." Merlin shook himself out of his reverie and nodded. "Just pee-shy. Here, all yours." He brushed past Percy with a smile that he hoped was reassuring and tried not to saunter too bow-leggedly on his way back to the booth.

When he got there, he eased in, trying not to wince. Two hard fucks in two days along with the plug and the cage did not make for pleasant sitting.

Arthur looked at him with concern over his pint of stout. "Alright, Merlin?" And that was more than just playing along. Merlin knew that Arthur wanted to know if he'd hurt him and wondered if Arthur would ever stop asking him.

"Fine," Merlin said with a small smile before muttering, "Brilliant, actually, thank you."

"Good," Arthur replied with an imperceptible nod and a swig of beer. "Isn't past your bedtime yet, is it? Gwaine has half a brain....I mean, Gwaine has half a mind for curry, he says."

Gwaine good-naturedly flicked two fingers at Arthur.

It was beyond late when they caught a cab back to the flat and it took the four of them to manipulate Gwaine into his bedroom from the cab below. At the curry shop, Gwaine had somehow managed another two beers and ducked into a pub as he heard the last call for another shot.

"I can take it from here, Merlin,” Arthur warned when Merlin stooped to pull off Gwaine's shoes.

Merlin shrugged amicably and retreated to his own room where he began to undress and ready himself for a long night on a short sofa. When his phone began to buzz in his pocket, it made his cage vibrate pleasantly and he let it complete the full cycle before checking it.

There was a picture message and it was of the key, centered on Arthur's chest. The accompanying text read, _come to mine_.

Merlin was halfway down the hall before it occurred to him that he was in the shorts he'd donned only out of respect for the sofa which was not his, and nothing else. Reversing his path now would only call further attention to himself, so he quickened his step and let himself into Arthur's room, shutting the door behind him and waiting for further instruction.

"So the promise of release is the only thing that had you running to me?" Arthur said from the bed where he was posed, stark naked and with his hands behind his head. He was beautiful in his arrogance, which Merlin was beginning to see as a mask, donned for convenience and protection, expectation, and perhaps even habit.

"Come to mine, you said," Merlin breathed, his eyes glued to Arthur's prick, which was already half-hard and growing along his thigh.

"So I did," Arthur conceded. "Do you always do exactly as you're told?"

"I try very hard to," Merlin replied. "It is what you pay me for, and I should like to provide the very best service."

"Is that right?" Arthur murmured and stroked himself lightly.

Merlin watched the slow glide of Arthur's hand and wished it was his own instead, curling around the hot flesh and working a bead of pre-come out so that he could taste it. He licked his lips. "Arthur, please."

"What do you want, Merlin?" Arthur asked.

"I want to please you."

Arthur studied Merlin for what seemed like forever, and Merlin had the fleeting notion that he was going to be dismissed. But then, Arthur flicked his eyes toward his own tumescence and then back to Merlin. "I am waiting."

"How do you want me?" Merlin asked, gliding forward as if pulled by a string at his core.

"Starkers, for starters," Arthur replied, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. "Give me a show."

Merlin barked a laugh, then covered his mouth with his hand. He'd forgotten already that discretion was key here. "I've only the shorts..."

Arthur shrugged. "Do it anyway."

"Your highness," Merlin acknowledged with a wide grin. Serving Arthur was already proving to be a more ridiculous task than he'd tackled in years. Arthur was inexperienced. He was compassionate. But most of all, he was silly and it almost gave Merlin permission to be goofy in return.

Slowly, Merlin ran his hands down his torso, pinching both nipples into peaks, circling his belly button with two fingers before catching the hem of his shorts. He folded the waistband down, exposing the first steel ring wrapped around the root of his prick before letting his palms roam the expanse of his body again, raking his hands through his shoemaker hair, standing it on end. Merlin's hips start to sway back and forth as he got into it. He dragged the shorts a down a little more and then turned, exposing the cleft of his arse. He tugged his underclothes farther still and let his fingers spread his cheeks, giving Arthur a flash of the plug before spinning to face him again.

Arthur's fist had been idly moving up and down, but now it had stopped and he was gaping at Merlin. "You've still got it in?"

Merlin nodded. "You didn't tell me to take it out."

"My God, you were serious," Arthur seemed astounded.

"I don't joke when it comes to that," Merlin said.

"So, you'll really do anything I tell you?"

"Anything," Merlin confirmed, hoping that Arthur was going to get a lot more creative.

"Hop on one foot," Arthur said suddenly and Merlin rolled his eyes. "You said anything."

Resigning himself to the role of court jester, Merlin lifted his right foot and began to bounce.

"Scratch yourself like a monkey," Arthur commanded.

Merlin curled his right hand into his armpit and began to pantomime scratching even as his face flushed with embarrassment. "Is this an exercise in futility?"

"In obedience," Arthur confirmed and the way his voice had gone a hoarse octave lower made Merlin question whether Arthur had been aroused by his zoo-act or his ability to follow an oral directive. "Get your shorts off and lie on the bed...face down."

Merlin complied quickly and felt Arthur straddle his hips before draping his body over Merlin's torso. Arthur's lips and tongue worked the spot just behind Merlin's right ear until Merlin groaned. "You are very...pretty when you blush." Arthur rasped, then nipped the shell of Merlin's ear.

A sigh of pleasure escaped Merlin. He lived for these kind words, dropped so infrequently in the past, that he felt as though he could wrap himself up in the smallest compliment and ride the wave of euphoria that accompanied it.

Arthur's lips burned a meandering line down Merlin's spine and Merlin couldn't help but arch beneath him, wanting more. Merlin dared to imagine those very same lips and tongue soothing the itch and burn of swollen tissue where he was stretched around the plug but he would never ask for such a favour. Merlin was a thing to be used and he derived pleasure from his role.

A shudder coursed through Merlin as Arthur spread him open with his thumbs and it seemed that Arthur just _stared_ at Merlin's arse forever, his hot breath ghosting over Merlin's hole, making him clench, making him squirm, making him whimper like a pitiful, needy thing.

Finally, Arthur pressed a finger against the plug, pushing it in, twisting it so that it prodded and dragged over Merlin's prostate in an agonizing, taunting sort of way. Merlin twisted the sheets and veritably sobbed into them.

"Do I... do I just pull to get it out?" Arthur asked somewhat sheepishly and Merlin had absolutely no words that would form a coherent thought, let alone an instructional sentence. Instead, Merlin flung his hand behind himself and with his hand over Arthur's, guided Arthur through it. Seconds ticked by that Merlin felt agonizingly empty and then Arthur's fingers were on him, tentatively stroking his rim. "I can see your insides." He said and it wasn't in that vicious, what-a-whore, you're-so-stretched-out kind of way. Instead, it was almost a marvel about Merlin's body.

"You're so pink and warm..." Arthur said as he rolled away. Merlin heard rummaging but couldn't look at Arthur. It wasn't that Merlin was ashamed, but he was so acutely aware of himself in this moment that he couldn't bear to see Arthur's face on top of it all. Arthur returned with lubed fingers and slid them into Merlin gently, explaining, "I have to touch you."

"Guh!" Merlin said unintelligibly into the mattress and raised his hips in accommodation to the wonder that was Arthur: so possessively brutal and yet so gentle in his curiosity.

Arthur probed and stroked, pushing his fingers in until his knuckles seemed to bruise Merlin's taint. "Do you think I could fit more? Could you take my whole hand?" he asked.

Merlin shivered. Was Arthur seriously asking to fist him? He nodded fervently even as his arsehole clenched and tried weakly to reject Arthur's fingers.

"Have you done it before?"

Merlin hesitated before nodding again. He had done it a few times for Agravaine while Uther watched, and for one other former Dom but he wasn't going to get into the details of it unless Arthur asked.

Arthur casually resumed finger-fucking Merlin. "How did you like it?"

"It was...intense," Merlin said. "There's no other way to descr- oh!" His hips snapped as a strong current jetted through him. "Do that again, please?"

"What?" Arthur asked and slid his fingertips over Merlin's prostate again. "This?"

"Yes! Please, God, yes!" Merlin drew his knees up higher and pushed back on Arthur's fingers. "Harder, more, please."

"Can you come from this? Even with that thing on?" Arthur wondered.

"Yes!" Merlin gasped. He was in no position to explain the mechanics of prostate milking although a demonstration was clearly in order.

"Really? I want to see. Roll over."

Merlin whimpered at the momentary loss of Arthur's fingers but soon had his left leg propped against Arthur's chest, the right bent against the mattress and giving him leverage to thrust against Arthur's probing digits. Inside of him, the pressure was mounting and accompanied by zings of pleasure that travelled straight to his cock. "Don't stop, please, Arthur...feels so good!"

"Not gonna stop," Arthur assured him. "I want to see you come with your dick in the cage. Do you need me to do something else? Should I touch you?"

"No!" Merlin said a bit too forcefully, afraid that Arthur would stop if he told him that he wouldn't really achieve orgasm, just a release and that touching Merlin's cock might make him painfully hard again. "No...just...stop rubbing and push...push your fingers instead. Like, a little jab and then...ah!" Arthur complied and Merlin felt a dull ache. Then his urethra was flooded with fluid which drizzled from the tip of his penis in a steady stream, running over his thigh and onto the sheets. Merlin gasped, then sighed at the sensation.

Arthur's fingers stilled when there was nothing left inside of Merlin and he eased back, lowering Merlin's left leg to the mattress. "That was bloody brilliant."

"Mmmm," Merlin agreed and flung his arm over his face. Arthur was an idiot and inexperienced to boot. But somehow everything he did to Merlin was bloody brilliant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please always practice Risk Aware Consentual Kink.


	3. Chapter 3

Arthur was awake and watching Merlin sleep. It wasn't really that creepy because it was Merlin's fault for taking up so much of the bed that Arthur couldn't get comfortable. In sleep, all the sharp lines of Merlin's face were softened. He wasn't intimidating or snarky or demanding or impatient. Instead, Merlin looked gentle, the pout of his lips almost child-like. Almost child-like because Arthur had already been at the receiving end of what those lips were capable of and there was absolutely nothing sweet and innocent about that act.

Acts, because it hadn't yet been two full days and Arthur wasn't sure he'd ever had so much sex in such a short period of time before. He couldn't help it though. Merlin was insatiable, open to almost anything, and thus far had initiated at least half of their interactions. Then, there was the money aspect, which made Arthur a little uncomfortable. Sure, he'd had hookers before and he hadn't had an attack of conscience with them but those situations were different. The expectations were clear: this sexual performance for this amount of time for this amount of money and Bob's your uncle.

But as for Merlin, Arthur was still trying to figure out his modus operandi. Merlin had a way of disappearing in the midst of conversation, or, infuriatingly flirting Arthur's friends. Both were insulting; the first to Arthur's personal sensibility and the second to his business one. Further complicating Arthur's assessment of the situation was the way Merlin seemed happy to accept post-coital affection but if they dozed, on waking, Merlin acted like Arthur's touch scalded him. When Merlin stirred long enough to roll onto his side, Arthur seized his opportunity and manoeuvered them both into a more comfortable, spooning position. With his nose buried in the soft curls at Merlin's nape, he was able to abandon all his thoughts of understanding Merlin in favour of drifting off into sleep.

Arthur woke when the pliant and warm creature curled against his chest went rigid and began trying to free himself from Arthur's clutch. He sighed and lifted his arm, allowing Merlin to sit up and move to the edge of the mattress. Then, Arthur stretched luxuriously before opening his eyes.

Merlin was hunched over and rubbing his face. "Third day," he said, seemingly to no one in particular.

Arthur's mouth dropped open and he protested indignantly, "It is not! It's not even the second day!"

Merlin raised his head and eyed Arthur. "For a financing major, you're remarkably terrible with numbers. Friday we agreed on this little arrangement, yesterday was Saturday, today is Sunday. That's three days."

Arthur rolled his eyes then propped himself up on an elbow. "Are you trying to screw me? I paid you for three days _worth_ , starting around half-nine on Friday. That means that half nine last night was one full day and half-nine tonight is the second full day. I've got you until half-nine tomorrow!"

Merlin looked affronted as he leapt from the bed and Arthur couldn't tell if he was teasing or not. "You just want something for nothing!" He crossed his arms over his chest.

"I just want my money's worth," Arthur quipped, letting his eyes roam over Merlin's naked form.

A hurt look flashed across Merlin's face and was immediately replaced by a cool facade. "Should I get back into bed, then?"

Arthur pressed his lips together briefly. "You're not obligated to do anything you don't want to."

"If you don't want me, just say so." Merlin said. "I'll refund your money and get out of your hair. You can go back to playing footy all day with Gwaine."

Was Merlin daft? He had to be abso-bloody-lutely out of his mind. Wasn't it glaringly obvious that Arthur wanted him? Hadn't he buggered Merlin six ways from Sunday? Locked up his cock so that no one else could have it? Slept with him in his arms two nights in a row? That was the picture of Victorian Romance, as far as Arthur was concerned. But there wasn't a good way to articulate that without sounding mad. Instead, Arthur said, "Shut up, Merlin."

Merlin's teeth clacked as he closed his mouth and he stood there glaring at Arthur until Arthur rolled his eyes. "Why don't you get in the shower and when you're finished, you can sort out breakfast while I have a go?"

"And by 'sort-out', you mean go get something, I presume?" Merlin bent and snatched his boxers off the floor. "You do realize that food does not magically materialise in your cupboards? Have any one of you spoiled brats even thought of going to the grocery store?"

Arthur flashed Merlin a sarcastic smile. "We had entertained the idea at one point, but now thanks to you, we won't have to."

"Of course." Merlin scowled and stooped again, digging Arthur's wallet out of his trousers. "Should I buy for the week or just today?"

"I think I've carried you enough already." Arthur leaned over and retrieved his billfold from Merlin's hands before Merlin robbed him blind, again. He began to leaf through the notes, counting them. "One would think you could handle breakfast."

"If you're demoting me from sex slave to housekeeper, I expect a household fund to make purchases on your behalf." Merlin pursed his lips and held out his hand.

Arthur dropped enough money into it to cover whatever it was that Merlin had in mind. As an afterthought, he leaned over and plucked the cock-cage from his night stand. "You haven't been demoted, I assure you. And put this on before you go. You never know what sort of lechers and creeps may be lurking about the pastry shop, looking to cop a feel from a pretty boy."

Merlin's mouth curved into a dark smile and he caught the cage as Arthur flung it at him. "Yes, your highness."

"And don't you forget it." Arthur nodded perfunctorily and gave a dismissive wave. Being a Pendragon was not unlike royalty, at least in Uther's eyes and Arthur had been raised, expecting to be catered to. "Now, be gone with you."

As Merlin slipped from the room, Arthur pulled his pillow over his face and sighed. Merlin could be absolutely infuriating– he brought out Arthur's inner caveman, the one that wanted to club him over the head, and then drag him back to the cave for animalistic rutting. Eventually, Arthur showered and dressed then went into the living room to wait for Merlin to return. Just as he was flicking on the telly, Gwaine stumbled out of his bedroom and headed for the bathroom. When he returned, he threw himself onto the couch beside Arthur, rubbing his face with his hands.

"Was I drunker then usual last night..." Gwaine asked lifting his head, "Or are you and Merlin shagging?"

Arthur cocked his head, and frowned, trying to play it off smoothly. "What would make you say something like that?"

Gwaine belched into his hand and grimaced then shot a smile at Arthur. "Well, he hasn't slept in the room he said he was going to take since he got here. And I would know-that's twice now I've gone to offer him the comfort of mine and heard conversation in yours..."

"Simple conversation..." Arthur replied and arched his brow.

"Arthur, please, give it to me!" Gwaine said in a falsetto that in no way approximated Merlin's voice. He batted his lashes prettily and leaned back. "Had I known you'd gone AC/DC and were half as bloody good between the sheets as you'd bragged, I might've made a pass ages ago."

Arthur felt his cheeks flood with warmth. So he'd been outed and hit on within a matter of mere seconds. That was Gwaine, for you. "Sorry, you're not exactly my type."

Gwaine laughed heartily. "I thought tall, dark, and handsome was everyone's type."

'Yes, well." Arthur cleared his throat. "It's the annoying, drunk and Irish part that doesn't strike my fancy."

The door flung open and Merlin stumbled through, barely balancing the bakery box, a grocery sack, and two stacked beverage trays. Gwaine eyed Arthur slyly and laughed as he got up to help. "I do see the appeal in average, gangly and bumbling but since you've got bagsies, I'll have to settle for next best...Merlin, tell me you've got an Americano for me!"

Merlin held the beverage tray out to him, nodding at the top rack.

Gwaine took one of the cups and, after peaking beneath the lid, raised it in silent cheers. He dropped the bakery box on the table and retreated to the couch, plunking his feet onto the coffee table. Following a noisy slurp, Gwaine caught Merlin's eye again. "If you're shacking up with Arthur, do you mind if we take our room back for gaming?"

"Gwaine!" Arthur protested, scandalised.

Merlin laughed and shrugged as he unloaded his burden onto the table. "You'll have to ask Arthur whether or not I'm still welcome." There was a noisy rustle as he dug through the plastic sack, and he crossed, handing a glossy, red apple to Arthur along with a steaming cup.

"What the hell is this?" Arthur snapped as his fingers closed around the fruit.

"Apple," Merlin replied, crunching into one of his own as he perched on the arm of the couch, forcing Arthur to move his hand or risk it being crushed beneath Merlin's bony arse. "Can't survive on crisps and bagels forever."

"I know that, dummy. But you've clearly gone to the bakery and I'd like some of that as well." Arthur nudged at Merlin, hoping he'd take the hint and fetch it for him.

"Oh, that?" Merlin tossed a casual look over his shoulder. "That's for Lance and Percy. I figure they need some sort of bribe for putting up with you so long. Do you think they'll be up soon?"

"Lance was probably up all night, trading 'I-love-you-mores' with Gwenny." Gwaine said with an eye roll. "Percy would sleep his life away, if you let him."

"See there? Plenty for me." Arthur said and pushed Merlin again.

Merlin leaned over Arthur and, patting Arthur's stomach, said in a stage-whisper, "You might want to cut back on the carbohydrates." Then, he sat up with a satisfied smirk.

Arthur's jaw dropped and he looked to Gwaine who was fighting back a giggle under the guise of sipping his coffee. "Did he just call me fat?"

"It's alright, Merlin. Arthur knows the best way to work off a few extra pounds..." Gwaine chuckled and winked. "You might even want to give him a few extra servings."

Arthur nudged him a third time. Merlin eased off the arm of the couch and Arthur watched Merlin's gait, trying to determine if it was changed because of the cage. Merlin's bottom shimmied as he worked the thin, red cord off the bakery box and then approached Arthur, flipping back the lid to reveal an assortment of pastries. He offered them to Arthur only to draw back with a wry grin when Arthur reached forward.

"That's utterly childish, Merlin, and you're starting to get on my nerves," Arthur said with an appraising look.

"Only just starting?" Merlin asked, amused as he tipped the box toward Arthur again.

As Arthur peered inside, he identified a number of his favourites but settled on a _pain au chocolat_. Merlin's dumb luck at the patisserie was not enough to buy his favour. He examined the pastry while Merlin produced a serviette out of thin air, apparently, and thrust it at him.

"No one likes a messy boy, Arthur." There was a mischievous glint in Merlin's eye.

"Don't push it, Merlin," Arthur warned.

Merlin waggled his eyebrows in a taunting fashion then turned to serve Gwaine. Arthur found his eyes drawn to the curve of Merlin's arse once more, and an idea started to formulate in his head.

In the early afternoon, Arthur found that he and Merlin were practically alone: While Percy and Gwaine had gone out, Lance was deeply entranced in Halo, complete with headset and bursts of profanity. Merlin, having already relocated his things to Arthur's room, was lounging on the couch and aimlessly flicking through the channels as he was prone to do.

Arthur snuck up behind him and, leaning over the back of the sofa, yanked the remote from Merlin's hand. Merlin startled and his eyes widened before they focused on Arthur.

"Ah, something I can do for you?"

"Yeah." Arthur licked his lips. "You can get in the bedroom, for starters."

Merlin's eyes darted to the side and back. Then, he got up. It seemed his motions were very deliberate, controlled. Merlin was neither in a hurry nor balking. On arrival, Merlin fingered the hem of his shirt. "Should I undress?" Arthur nodded and Merlin stripped efficiently and purposefully, leaving his things in a neatly folded pile on Arthur's dresser. He turned to face Arthur expectantly, arms as his sides but fingers curling and uncurling.

"Can I--?" Arthur began, but stopped to rephrase. Merlin was the only person who brought out this hesitation in him, or perhaps it was their unique situation. In either case, he couldn't bear the thought of Merlin mocking him before their scene. "I want to spank you..."

Merlin cocked his head and looked at Arthur for what seemed like forever. "Okay."

"Okay," Arthur repeated. "So..." he shifted his stance, waiting for Merlin's instruction.

"So..." Merlin patted his thighs in an irregular pattern as he considered his next words. "Belt, paddle, or hand?"

"Uh." Arthur blinked. "Whatever you prefer."

Merlin shook his head. "You proposed this, you own it. It isn't about me and what I want. It's about you and what you want."

Right. Sure. Fuck. "What's the difference?" Arthur asked carefully.

"Pattern of injury," Merlin replied casually. Injury? Arthur didn't want to maim him, for fuck's sake. But Merlin was strolling toward the bed, pulling out his toybox, removing an implement not dissimilar to a ping-pong paddle, and going on. "The feel of it in your hand. The sensation on impact. The effort of the swing. How long you want it to last. May I?"

Merlin touched Arthur's belt, stroking the pad of his finger against the leather. Breathlessly, Arthur nodded and Merlin divested him of his belt, stripping it slowly through the loops. He reached for Arthur's left hand and turned it palm-up, letting his fingers tickle over Arthur's skin.

Merlin put the paddle between his knees, doubled Arthur's belt and struck Arthur's palm. The blow wasn't nearly hard enough to hurt, but it had a distinct heft, the edges crisply biting into his skin. "This will bruise," he explained. "It can be very satisfying for me in the moment but you need to be careful about breaking the skin or causing deep tissue damage. Not that I'd consciously let you do that to me, but there's always the chance we'd get carried away."

Arthur nodded seriously and Merlin swapped the belt and the paddle. Merlin's demonstrative swat left Arthur's palm prickling. "This will sting, but it is easier to achieve an even redness, if that was a particular interest of yours, and you can get a nice lift with the proper technique."

Arthur had no idea what "lift" was in the context of spanking but he certainly wasn't going to ask and lower himself yet another notch in Merlin's eyes. He watched as Merlin juggled the implements, freeing one hand to cradle Arthur's cupped palm, using the other to strike him. "A nice combination of the two, a thunk with sting, if you will. You can bruise or redden using a variation of force and area of your hand, and you may find your own handprint to be a pleasing visual accompaniment, though inexperience may lend itself to hand fatigue and wrist injury."

"Thank you," Arthur murmured, utterly in awe of Merlin's clinical detachment as he described the differences in methods. "That was very...thorough."

Merlin nodded his head demurely then held the belt and the paddle up to him.

Arthur reached up, letting his fingers trail over the belt. He couldn't help but notice what appeared to be excitement flash in Merlin's eyes. "A bit sadistic, this...almost like a whip, isn't it?"

A grin split Merlin's serious visage. "Hate to break it to you, Pendragon, but you're planning on giving me a beating for your sexual gratification. You've already crossed into sadism-territory."

"Point," Arthur conceded, pulling his belt away and discarding it on the floor. "Nevertheless, I do think it is best not to go catapulting into the deep end in this sort of...circumstance. Perhaps a hand is best." He bit his lip, suddenly feeling very self-conscious about his decision. Merlin was the expert here. He could laugh at Arthur at anytime, expose Arthur for his inexperience and idiocy, take his businesses elsewhere.

But Merlin was nodding agreeably. "Yeah. That sounds good. I mean, it's probably what you had in mind anyway, but I wanted to give you the option. And they make about a hundred different types of paddles and obviously, all sorts of whips and crops, but I haven't any on hand. This is sort of my overnight kit, if you get what I mean. But we should go to a shop so you can get an idea of the possibilities, and maybe start your own collection. It's too bad you couldn't turn your gaming room into a playroom, but this will have to make do. Even with my things in here, there's still plenty of room to keep some other stuff on hand."

Arthur nodded in acknowledgment but his brain was already meandering into dangerous territory; thinking of accompanying Merlin to a sex shop seemed both promising and mortifying.

"You should probably sit and I'll lie over your legs, for starters. It's kind of the default position, and I think you'll be the most comfortable that way, if you don't find it too intimate, that is," Merlin explained, leading Arthur to the bed.

Arthur perched at the foot, wondering where the intimacy line was drawn when one had already had Merlin in the ways Arthur had.

"Widen your knees a bit; it will make it easier for me to balance," Merlin said, and as Arthur complied, Merlin draped himself over Arthur.

"Wait." Arthur said and tugged Merlin's bicep. "I wanted to take that thing off. The, uh, cage. You said you liked it. This. Um, the spanking, I mean. So, uh, yeah. I want to feel you. To make sure you're into it too."

"Relax, Arthur. It's only me and you here and you've got the upper hand. We can stop anytime and you don't owe me an explanation," Merlin said, watching intently as Arthur fitted the key into lock and released him from confinement. Beneath his hands, Merlin was already swelling, and Arthur couldn't help but stroke him to full attention. He loved the feel of Merlin's skin beneath his hands, the way Merlin's body responded to his ministrations. When Arthur drew his hand away, Merlin whined softly. "Cheater."

"I like when you beg me for more," Arthur admitted, patting his knee.

"Of course you do," Merlin said dismissively. "They all do." This time when Merlin positioned himself, Arthur could feel the head Merlin's cock pressing against his thigh. The hot stamp of flesh against his trousers was an ample distraction and Arthur thought he could possibly abandon this game in favour of tossing Merlin off, slowly, until he begged for mercy, writhing and pleading, those blue eyes of his dark with desperation...

Merlin wriggled, making himself comfortable then laced his hands together and placed them on the nape of his neck. "Okay, I'm ready."

Just like that, and Arthur was supposed to start smacking him? For the millionth time, Arthur re-evaluated what he was doing here and why he'd ever thought this was a good idea. He smoothed his hands over Merlin's arse, buying some time." How many should I do?"

"However many you want to." Merlin said. "Is this a punishment, or just for fun?"

"Doesn't it get weird if it's for both?" Arthur asked in confusion. If it was a punishment, it shouldn't be fun and if it was fun, then it wasn't much of a punishment.

"For fun, then," Merlin replied and Arthur could hear the smile in his voice. "Some Doms use it for both, but it helps if you're clear which it's supposed to be, and if it's a punishment, to pair it with something else unpleasant. And I could count them for you, if you wanted.”

"How hard should I go?" Arthur asked, thinking back on all the videos he'd seen, which tended to focus more on the recipient's face and reactions than the task at hand. He realised, as he thought things through that he was still kneading Merlin's rump and his thumbs slipped into the crack of Merlin's arse, pulling the cheeks apart. He glanced down at Merlin's anus which was tight as a rosebud once more, slightly puffy and pink and no longer the gaping, glistening hole it had been the night before.

"Arthur, would you just smack my arse already?" Merlin laughed. "You can tell me to shut it, by the way. If you're intentionally drawing things out, you've done a wonderful job of putting me on edge. But I suspect you're being a ponce about the whole ordeal. Stop thinking about it. Do what feels right and I promise I'll stop you if something's wrong."

"Okay." Arthur breathed, moving his left hand to the small of Merlin's back and raising the right. He let it fall, catching the right side of Merlin's buttock, but it wasn't half as satisfying as it should have been -something was wrong. It had been like the first time he'd playfully spanked Merlin, too much fingers, not enough palm.

Merlin bobbed in place and a tense moment of silence stretched between them. He broke it with a few words of advice. "Cup your hand a bit. You're going to hurt yourself if you keep slapping at me that way."

Instead of acknowledging Merlin, Arthur followed the instructions and let him have another one. This time, Merlin grunted lowly and nodded. "There you are."

"Yeah?" Encouraged by the positive feedback, Arthur spanked him again and again. A nice blushed tone was spreading across Merlin's right buttock while the left was still pale and untouched. He wondered if a single, solid spank would bring it up to colour, and after caressing Merlin's bottom for a moment, gave it a try.

This time, Merlin cried out softly and jerked in place. "Too much?" Arthur asked, feeling his lips press into a thin line. His fingerprints were rising in red relief against Merlin's skin and he stroked their outlines softly.

"S'good," Merlin said, his voice slightly strained. "You've got the hang of it now. Just watch my bollocks if you swing towards the bottom and we won't have any issues."

Arthur was fairly certain that Merlin had just provided him, despite the latest warning, permission to proceed not with caution but wild abandon and he began to experiment with his hand and Merlin's flesh, gauging the effects of each strike by the sounds Merlin made.

Arthur soon discovered that that he rather enjoyed delivering a hard smack to the fleshy part of Merlin's bottom; the way his buttock compressed and then resiliently sprung back, pushing Arthur's hand away as if begging for another blow, the way Merlin groaned and sighed, his body dipping slightly as he absorbed the impact, internalised it, eroticised it, then bowed back, ready for more.

A close second in appeal for Arthur was an open handed slap to the tops of Merlin's thighs. The first time he'd done so, Merlin had given an indignant squeal and broken his position, hands flying back and stopping just short of covering himself. Arthur didn't have to guess that that sort of thing was a no-no. Merlin told him just by the way he lowered his head and mumbled an apology before resuming his stance, which was now taut with tension. As punishment, Arthur gave him two more of the same and Merlin's body jerked in protest though his hands stayed on his nape.

"Arthur..." Merlin moaned, and just the sound of his name on Merlin's lips made him consider abandoning this game in favour of fucking.

Arthur dropped his hands to Merlin's skin, tracing his palm prints and the outlines of his digits with a feather light touch that left Merlin shivering. He ran his hand over Merlin's arse, feeling the heat collect beneath his palm.

"Arthur, please!" Merlin begged.

"Please more or please stop?" Arthur murmured, squeezing Merlin's buttocks with both hands and entranced with the way the flesh turned a bloodless white before resuming its pink-red hue.

Merlin only groaned in response, thrusting his hips upward before flexing them down, sliding his erection once more across Arthur's thigh. There was no question in Arthur's mind that Merlin liked this treatment and though he did wonder how far Merlin could be pushed, he thought now was not the time for that. Now, Arthur wanted to make Merlin moan and squirm for another reason, similar in purpose but with an entirely different execution.

"Get down," Arthur prompted and as he attempted to help Merlin up so that they could move onto the bed, Merlin slithered backward off of Arthur's thighs and sunk to the floor in front of him.

Merlin's knees were widely spread and his arse hovered above the floor as his erection jutted proudly upward. His eyes were slightly glazed and his lips red and plump as though he'd been biting them. As Arthur brushed his thumb over them, they parted and Merlin's tongue darted out, rolling over the ball, making something pull and tighten inside of Arthur.

"Get on the bed," Arthur heard himself say, voice husky with want. Merlin rose and crawled onto the duvet, his arse high and red like a beacon. Arthur shifted and moved between Merlin's legs, pressing his lips against the heated skin of Merlin's thighs. Against his cheek, Merlin's arse burned and Arthur couldn't help but press his face against it. He turned his face, licking a stripe from the crease of Merlin's thigh to the apex of his buttock. The swell of Merlin's arse called to him. He wanted to bite it and he didn't think Merlin would mind.

In fact, Merlin moaned and arched beneath him, twisting the sheets in his hands. Arthur liked seeing him come undone. He kissed his way down the other buttock and Merlin sighed, flattening against the mattress. Arthur pinched and kneaded the warm flesh until Merlin was squirming and whining. There was a shallow dimple topping the cleft of Merlin's arse and Arthur kissed it too, leaving it wet with saliva.

Beneath him, Merlin shuddered and undulated. "Fuck...fuck, Arthur, please!"

Arthur dragged his finger through his spit pooled in Merlin's cleft and let his finger slip down, pressing against the tight furl of Merlin's entrance for a moment.

Merlin jolted as if struck by lightning and because he'd been so affected, Arthur just had to pry him open and look at that spot, blow on it teasingly, watch him clench.

Merlin whined, long and low. "Please, please...Arthur...touch me!"

Arthur ran a solitary finger from behind Merlin's knee to his hip. "Like this?"

Merlin writhed, groaning as he shook his head in frustration.

"Tell me what you want..." Arthur instructed, scraping his nail over Merlin's buttocks.

"Touch me!" Merlin begged again, as though it was obvious what he wanted. "I need you. Your mouth on me...your fingers in me...your cock, God! Arthur...please. I don't care how. I'm so hard for you and I want to come. Make me come, Arthur, for you. I want to."

Arthur wanted to make Merlin come, too. Surely he deserved it for being such a good sport, for letting Arthur spank him. What was the first thing that Merlin had said? _Put your mouth on me._ That was no mistake. That was what Merlin wanted, as Arthur had stared down at the pink bud of his arsehole, teasing, taunting, and Arthur felt wrong for wanting that too. He hadn't even had Merlin's cock in his mouth and yet Merlin would beg this intimacy of him. He drew away again, running his fingers up Merlin's ribcage and Merlin whined.

Slowly, Arthur folded his thumbs into Merlin's crevice, tugging gently to expose him once more. He inched forward, as Merlin squirmed either in anticipation or because Arthur's breaths were tickling him. He could do this, Arthur told himself. After all that Merlin had done for him, what was this one thing? He knew Merlin would do it to him, for him, in an instant. Tentatively, Arthur licked a stripe along the innermost skin, suspiciously free of coarse hairs as though Merlin was anticipating this sort of intimacy, and Merlin gasped explosively because he clearly wasn't. Arthur imagined Merlin subjecting himself to waxing (perhaps it was hygienic upkeep expected of him by the profession) and it emboldened him. He pressed his mouth against Merlin's pucker and swirled his tongue.

The bitter tang of Merlin was immediately overshadowed by his cry, "Jesus-fuck! Arthur, God, yes!"

And Arthur wanted to hear that again and again and again so he set aside any compunction he might have had with the act and began tonguing Merlin's hole in earnest. All things considered, it wasn't so very different from going down on a woman, and Arthur's expertise in that field seemed to come in handy here. When Merlin's hips began to hitch and his encouraging monologue faded to wordless pleas, Arthur retreated. He wiped his face with one hand as he looked over Merlin.

"Are you close?" It was a redundant question because Merlin was flushed and panting and any idiot could tell that he was. "Can you come like this?"

Merlin shook his head indicating the negative and gasped, "Need more..."

"If you touch yourself?" Arthur postulated and Merlin began nodding so Arthur commanded, "Do it."

Merlin's fingers unfurled from the bedclothes and slipped between his thighs and as he began to pull himself, he whimpered. "Say when..." Merlin gasped. "Tell me when to...give me your permission, ah, AH!" Merlin's babbling died down once more and he began fervently humping into his own hand.

Arthur smiled and grabbed Merlin's hip, stilling him, forcing him to slow down. He leaned forward again and lapped softly at him, pausing to lick his index finger as well. He circled the rim of Merlin's arsehole then pushed that lone digit slowly inside. Merlin's whole body went taut as Arthur resumed licking and pumping his finger and Arthur knew Merlin was fighting off an orgasm.

When Merlin's body began to shake with the effort, Arthur pushed his finger in to the knuckle and crooked it. "Come," Arthur said, and before he had even finished the word, he felt Merlin rippling around him, heard his cry of relief. His chest heaved as he drew in one ragged breath after another and after a minute, Merlin visibly sagged, and he disengaged himself from Arthur and then toppled over onto his side.

Merlin's eyes were screwed tightly shut and his hand was still clenched around the head of his cock, a bead of semen slipping down toward his wrist. Before Arthur could stop him, Merlin twisted his hand free and pulled it toward his mouth. Arthur dived forward, catching Merlin's by the wrist and tugging his hand away from his mouth, though not before Merlin managed to collect the majority of his own spunk on his tongue.

"Stop," Arthur said, swinging one leg over Merlin's hips so that he was straddling him. "I want to taste that too."

Merlin smiled faintly and peeked one eye open to watch him. Arthur grinned in return and unbuttoned his trousers, taking his own cock in hand. He began to stroke before bringing Merlin's hand to his lips, mouthing his fingers two at a time and tasting the faint, organic traces of semen. Merlin was watched him sedately for a minute or two, then leant his free hand to the cause, alternately stroking Arthur's shaft and cupping his sac, squeezing just enough to send zings of pleasure coursing through Arthur's groin.

Arthur pressed Merlin's hand to his balls and held it there, speeding up the rhythm of his own hand as he felt his own release building.

"Oh fuck, yes!" Merlin swore. "Come on me!"

"Gonna," Arthur confirmed with a grunt, flustering Merlin's hands away from him so that they weren't in the way when it happened. A tingling sensation began in Arthur's toes and as it raced through him, his balls tightened. He tipped his hips forward and concentrated on stroking the head of his cock. For a split second, his world narrowed entirely to sensation and then he was coming, painting his release onto Merlin's chest and neck.

Merlin dipped his fingertips into a glob near his left nipple and smeared it, then brought his fingers to his lips, flicking his tongue out to taste it. Arthur groaned and let his head fall backward as he caught his breath. "Fuck," he said and slid down onto the mattress beside Merlin.

Merlin reached for Arthur's hand and dragged it over himself, collecting Arthur's come on his fingers. "Feed it to me?" Merlin asked, then opened his mouth. Arthur was only capable of nodding and letting his fingertips hover nearer to Merlin's lips.

"Fuck..." Arthur murmured again, closing his eyes and giving himself over to Merlin's kitten licks. "You're so..." but there wasn't a word to describe what Merlin was to him. Kinky, weird, confusing, sexy, wonderful. Arthur didn't finish and Merlin didn't ask. And before long, they found commonality in sleep once more.

The last day of the trial period passed utterly too fast and Arthur made it a point to get to the bank while Merlin was taking a nap. The teller raised an eyebrow when Arthur passed over his transaction slip and checked his ID twice before confirming that he wanted cash and not a cashier's check.

When Arthur returned, Merlin was in the shower. The bank envelope was fat and heavy with notes, making for an awkward and uncomfortable bulge in the pocket of his blazer. Arthur didn't know what the protocol for handling this sort of situation was, so he wrote Merlin's name on the envelope just to ensure there was no mistake about the intended recipient and tucked the envelope into Merlin's folded clothes.

After that, Arthur wandered from room to room, full of nervous energy. There was still the chance that Merlin would reject him, although Arthur was pretty sure he hadn't been totally rubbish in bed, there was always the chance Merlin's enthusiasm had been all act.

Arthur was standing in front of the refrigerator, staring between the bottles of lager and a carton of Chinese take-away that had tasted somewhat dodgy when it had been fresh the afternoon before, when he noticed he could no longer hear the shower running and hadn't for some time.

Neither had he seen Merlin come by, nor heard him whoop in glee. Straightening, Arthur let the refrigerator door shut and padded down the hall, unsure of what he was going to encounter. Maybe Merlin had passed away from the shock of Arthur's offer or perhaps he was lying naked on Arthur's bed and just waiting to be ravaged. Arthur quickened his step past Gwaine, Percy and Lance's rooms, and confirming the loo was empty, headed to his own.

There, Arthur found Merlin sitting on the bed, fully dressed. He held the envelope of cash in his hands and looked strangely distraught. Arthur paused in the doorway, feeling like an intruder in his own room. "Have I bollixed something up? Because, you know, you've been remiss in explaining to me how the business end of this is managed."

"I know," Merlin replied and his voice was strangled. He set the envelope on the duvet and ran his hand through his hair as he stood. "Arthur...I'm not certain I can... I mean, I just...I need some time to think about this."

Arthur wasn't sure what had Merlin in such a strop and he wondered what had gone wrong. "Have I hurt you in some way? Have I done something-"

"No!" Merlin interrupted vehemently, then looked sheepish. "No. I just...my expecta-...I...no. It's me. I'm the problem and I have to work something out. I'm sorry. I have to get out of here. I can't think when you...I have to go."

Arthur had to move aside to let Merlin pass. He couldn't hide his sense of dismay but he didn't understand why he should feel this way. He heard himself say woodenly, "Of course. Whatever you need."


	4. Chapter 4

Merlin had spent the entire day mentally preparing himself to leave Arthur and return to his mother's flat until he could set something else in motion. At no point had Arthur indicated that he wished him to stay on and Merlin hadn't offered. He didn't want to take advantage of Arthur's good nature or give him a sense of obligation. When Merlin awoke from his kip only to find Arthur gone, he'd assumed that Arthur had made himself scarce to avoid an awkward goodbye.

As far as Merlin was concerned, nothing good could come from this tryst. Merlin's longstanding crush on Arthur was making him feel vulnerable and exposed; he'd let himself fall asleep in Arthur's arms each of the last three nights despite promising himself that he would maintain professional distance. Arthur was young and didn't know any better, or maybe he just felt too bad to kick Merlin out of his bed, or maybe he got off on paying for sex as much as Merlin did on getting paid for it. Whatever the reason, it lulled Merlin into a false sense of security. Merlin had already let his guard down too many times in the last few days. He was already starting to feel like he was making a connection with Arthur, and the last thing Merlin needed was to misjudge a situation and wind up with his heart broken.

It had been six years since Will's death, and he was only just beginning to feel like he could love again. That was stupid and childish, Merlin thought, but it was true. Will had been his first friend, and for much of his life, his only friend. When they were fourteen, they realized that their love for one another extended beyond friendship. Back then, Merlin had been elated at the idea that he had found his soul mate so early in life. Part of him wanted to scoff at that but the urge to do so was overridden by the fond memory of how sweet the two of them had been together. The cow-eyed looks, the moony smiles, the way Merlin's heart tried to beat its way out of his chest when they held hands...it had taken them over a year to work up the courage to have penetrative sex because wanking and frotting and blow jobs were enough and they were so scared. And even once they'd started, sex was always slow and sweet, something to be savoured when they could really get away.

And Will had known about Merlin's magic, didn't care, didn't think he was a freak. Will hadn't minded when the lights flickered or the dresser drawers opened and shut when Merlin was mid-orgasm. He'd encouraged Merlin to become a professional illusionist, to share his gift with millions of people in a way the masses could understand, and Merlin had contemplated it.

But at sixteen, Merlin's light in the darkness had gone out. Will was a passenger in his mother's car when the operator of a large lorry dozed off and ran a red light. The entire passenger side had been crushed in from the force of it. Will was probably killed instantly, or at least Merlin had hoped he was. He couldn't bear the idea of Will lying broken and in pain while his life-force slowly bled from him. The thought of it now turned Merlin's stomach.

The thing of it was, though, that Merlin had seen some of that same tenderness that Will had been in concrete possession of, in Arthur. In each gentle caress, in Arthur's hesitance, in the way Arthur curled around him in sleep...as he likened him to Will, Merlin felt his heart soften a little more.

Merlin might let himself believe that Arthur was more than just a pretty face and an exquisite body, but he'd be setting himself up for emotional ruin if he did. But, he should not let himself forget for one minute that Arthur was just another punter who paid to manhandle and abuse him. Arthur was like Uther, in that way, and like Cenred before him, and between them both, a handful of men to whom power meant everything and love, nothing.

And that was exactly why, when Merlin exited the shower (convinced he was glad to get away from Arthur's novice approach to BDSM and the false sense of security he provided), and he'd found the envelope with enough cash to cover the next month, he'd had an emotional crisis.

Merlin hadn't meant to run out on Arthur but seeing that look of hopeful expectation as Arthur stood in the doorway short-circuited Merlin's brain.

_Will..._

That had been the name on the tip of Merlin's tongue as he stared back. Then as Arthur had gone all cold and collected, Merlin saw Uther, who Merlin hated, even though he had pushed all of Merlin's buttons and took him to planes of existence that Merlin had never known before. And to see Uther, with all his faults and shortcomings, superimposed on Will, who had been the very beacon for all things right in the world, that was horrifying.

Merlin dashed into the street and hailed a cab, climbing into it and rattling off his mother's address. When the cab pulled up to the curb, the driver grunted. Merlin opened the door and peeled a few bills off of the roll in his pocket, passing them forward as he slid out of the car. As the cabbie drove off, Merlin stared at the block of flats in front of him. They were dark, dirty and dismal and suddenly, paying a visit to his mum seemed like a bad idea. But there was nothing for it, now.

Merlin bustled to the door and jammed his finger into the buzzer, hoping his mum got to it before he got mugged. Merlin hadn't exactly thought things through before dashing out of there and rolling up in a cab was like a beacon for criminal activity in this neighbourhood.

"What is it?" Hunith's voice crackled over the speaker.

Merlin had barely gotten out the 'mum' in the, _Mum, it's me!_ when the buzzer sounded and the door unlocked. He yanked it open and bounded up the stairs to the sixth floor where his mother was peeking through the cracked-open door. As he approached, she shut it in order to undo the chain-latch, then threw the door wide open for him.

"Mum!" Merlin protested as his mother enveloped him in a hug, tugging him down to press a wet kiss to his cheek, then smoothing his hair back and kissing his forehead.

Hunith released him, and swatted him with a smile then shut the door behind them. "Kettle's on. Do you need the shower?"

It was no lie that Merlin used his mother's flat as a place to escape and crash between jobs, though he hadn't had a need to since taking up with Uther. He'd never gone into the details of how he made his money and Hunith never asked, but Merlin was fairly certain that she knew, or at least had an inkling after all this time. He shook his head and slid into a chair at the table. "No, I took one before I left."

Merlin felt his mother's fingers tickling at his neck. "You're bruised up. Are you alright?"

He grabbed her hand, gave it a squeeze and a pat, then pushed it away from him. "M'fine." Love bites, was what they were, except that love had absolutely nothing to do with it. Lust bites was perhaps a better moniker.

"Have you eaten? I can make you a bacon butty if you like. I've got some marmite...packet of crisps..."

Merlin waved his hand. He didn't want to hear the sad inventory of his mother's pantry. Tomorrow, he could stock it properly for her but in the meantime, it was just another reminder that his mother was barely making ends while he was off getting stuffed. "Just the tea, thanks mum. Can I have the sofa tonight?"

"Sure," Hunith said and took two cups off of the drying rack. "I'll even let you have the remote, too."

"You're the best mum a boy could have," Merlin replied, rubbing his face with his hands.

"I do try. And, I'll have you know, I'll have you know that I had to send my male visitor down the fire escape when you rang. I do hope he didn't fall to his death on your account," Hunith joked.

"Mum! You did not." Merlin groaned. No one wanted to think of their parent’s intimate affairs and Merlin was no exception.

She sighed and took the spoons out of the drawer. "You're right ,of course. I'm just a lonely, old spinster.”

Exasperated, Merlin appealed to her good nature a final time. "Mum!"

“I’m just pulling your leg a bit Merlin, it’s not often that I get the chance these days.” Hunith sighed. As the kettle began to whistle, she moved it off the heat. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I said I was fine,” Merlin confirmed. “I just...lost a steady job, that’s all. I’ve got another offer but I’m not sure I’m going to take it.”

Hunith hummed and Merlin could see her frown in disapproval as she wiped her hands on the dishtowel. “I can call Gaius and see if he can take you on in the bookstore. Now is probably a good time, what with university starting up again soon.”

“No...” Merlin started to decline but his mother kept talking.

“It won’t pay what you’re used to, but you could move back in with me, Merlin-”

“Mum, no-”

“ -and then you could stop with this business altogether...Merlin, it’s dangerous and I’m always worried about whether or not you’re hurt or you‘ve been murdered, and you don’t call me nearly enough-”

“Mum!” Merlin raised his voice, feeling instantly contrite when she winced and folded her lips together. “Mum, no. I’m twenty five and I don’t need you taking care of me. Besides, I’m only a good job or two away from having enough to pay for the rest of that payday advance that’s been killing us for years.”

Merlin shook his head and pressed his fingers into his eye sockets. There wasn’t a day that went by that he didn’t regret the payday advance he’d taken out shortly after Will’s death, forging his mother’s name on the paperwork because he’d made a series of bad decisions, notwithstanding misunderstanding the cost of an overnight session with a for-hire dominant. The kicker was that he’d completely overlooked the fine print of the payday loan where it indicated the interest rate of 5285%. Yes, 5285%. Merlin had hid the first two bills from his mother while desperately searching for a job. But after two months, it was clear that he was never going to pay it down that way. Merlin’s arse had gotten them both in trouble, and it seemed only fair that it got them out of it too.

Hunith went on, oblivious to Merlin’s on-going turmoil. “Well, _I_ worry, Merlin. Don’t think I don’t know what you’ve put yourself through for this. I don’t like it at all, though I suppose I should be happy you’re not selling drugs-”

Merlin shoved back from the table, nudging his mother away from the cooker so that he could pour the tea and carry it over for them. “I’m not, I promise.”

Hunith folded her arms over her chest. “And you’re still clean? You’ve been tested?”

“I’ll go tomorrow,” Merlin promised and when his mother eyed him, he rolled his eyes. "I will! You act like I don't give a fig about myself, like I don't take care of myself..."

"Sometimes I do wonder," she said and shifted in the small eat-in kitchen, settling into the chair with the worn blue cushion. Hunith lifted her mug and blew across the surface before taking a sip.

Merlin sighed. "Can we just talk about something else for a bit?"

"Oh sure." Hunith smiled and her eyes crinkled. "I'll regale you with tales of house-cleaning, shall I?"

She did, and Merlin listened to her adventures in cleaning the houses of the rich and not-so-famous. After an hour of listening to Hunith go on about how many of her clients were having affairs with one another, who had what priceless artefacts, and who had knock-offs, Merlin was ready to fall asleep again, despite his afternoon nap.

When Merlin’s phone buzzed in his pocket, he was simultaneously startled and relieved. He dug it out and glanced at the screen.

... _new text message from: Your Master_...

Merlin had never had a Dom text him before Arthur. And the fact that Arthur had listed himself as "Your Master" in the directory was just so absurd. It went against all the unspoken rules of subtlety and almost made a mockery of the lifestyle. But it was so very Arthur, clueless and idiotic and arrogant. Despite his reservations with the situation, Merlin bit his lip and smiled.

"Ohhhh...." Hunith drawled in a knowing way.

Merlin's head snapped up and he tucked the phone away without checking the message. He flattened his lips and quirked a brow at his mother who was looking at him with fond amusement. "What?"

She stood, leaning to pat him on the shoulder before splitting the last of the tea between their cups. "I understand now."

"Understand what?" Merlin's eyebrows knotted in confusion.

Hunith curled her hands around her teacup and raised it to her lips. "You're smitten."

Merlin snorted. "I don't know what would give you that idea."

"Oh, I don't know...the twinkle in your eye, the tilt of your head....the big dopey grin on your face."

"I do not have a dopey grin on my face," Merlin protested and crossed his arms.

Hunith laughed at him. "It's been a long time since I've seen that look, Merlin, but I'd recognize it anywhere. I'm glad you've finally found someone again, even if you don't want to talk to me about it just yet."

Merlin felt disproportionately irritated by his mother's insinuation. "Jesus Christ, mum. I have not 'found someone'. I don't even know him, I mean, I've _known_ him for a while but not in that capacity. I mean, I don't even really like him. He's arrogant, conceited, narcissistic beyond belief, immature, inexperienced..."

"Mmmmhmmmm," Hunith hummed, suggesting she didn't believe him.

Merlin scraped his chair away from the table. "I give up."

"Merlin!" Hunith giggled again and stood up, following him into the living room. "Merlin, will you settle down? There's nothing wrong with finding love again. Will wouldn't want you spending the rest of your life as a grumpy, old-"

"Don't you dare speak of him!" Merlin yelled. "You can't possibly know what he-"

Hunith's face became drawn and serious. "Do not raise your voice to me, Merlin Caldonensis Emrys! The last I checked, I was still your mother and this is still my home."

Merlin lowered his head in contrition and mumbled his apology. "M'sorry, mum."

"Sit down," Hunith said and Merlin dropped his bottom onto the sofa. Hunith leaned over and took Merlin's face between her hands. "Love, Merlin, is a beautiful thing. It cannot be wasted, nor given too soon nor too freely. You can love more than one person during the course of a lifetime and you can love more than one person at the same time. If you find someone else to care about, it doesn't diminish or change the love you shared with Will. No matter what, you can never take that away or replace it."

Hunith sighed, then ruffled Merlin's hair before kissing him on top of his head. "I'm sorry if I've upset you. I just want for you to be happy."

"I know," Merlin said, choking on the words as his throat tightened with emotion. He looped his arm around his mother's neck and pressed their cheeks together for a moment.

When Merlin pulled back, Hunith turned and went into her bedroom. Merlin heard her open the closet door and she returned shortly with a pillow and two blankets. "It's late and I have to get up early in the morning. I'll try not to bother you..."

"Don't worry about it," Merlin said as he took the bed clothes away from her and rose, kissing her on the cheek.

"If you decide you want to talk about it..."

"I know. Thanks, Mum." Merlin nodded and bid her good night.

After Hunith had retreated to her bedroom, Merlin was left alone only with the glow from the telly for company. After a few minutes of the news, he pulled his phone out of his pocket again, thumbing the keys to illuminate the screen. Arthur's message was still waiting for him. Merlin's thumb hovered between the 'ok' and 'delete' keys until curiosity won out over stubbornness.

... _I know you said it wasn't me, but is it me?_...

Arthur's insecurity both amused and unsettled Merlin, though when he thought about it, it made perfect sense. The prat had probably never even been dumped before and wasn't used to rejection, not to mention that Merlin had promised to quit after the trial period if Arthur was crap in bed. Arthur was probably suffering from performance anxiety, and Merlin was going to let him stew in it. Merlin tossed his phone on the coffee table and kicked off his shoes so that he could put his feet up. Arthur was decidedly not crap at sex, and for an eighteen year old, was actually a remarkably thoughtful and generous lover...

Great. Now Merlin was thinking about sex. With Arthur. While sitting on his mother's couch. It was going to be a long night. He fumbled for the remote again and began clicking with purpose.

It was nearly seven when Merlin woke up with a crick in his neck and an ache in his back that left him feeling like an old man. He'd actually had better, more restful sleep tied to a cross and standing up than sleeping on his mother's old, lumpy sofa. Of course, nothing of late could compare to that blissful feeling he had on waking in Arthur's arms, just before the panic set in, and the old, lived-in smell of the sofa couldn't hold a candle to Arthur's cologne-drenched sheets (Borneo 1834, to be exact).

Merlin hauled himself up and staggered in to use the toilet and clean his face. His clothes were rumpled beyond smoothing and he fell back on his magic to freshen them because he'd dashed off without so much as an overnight bag. After making himself presentable, Merlin caught the bus across town. He swung by a coffee shop for the necessary vittles then headed to the grocery store to pick up a few sacks of food to help his mother out.

While Merlin was at Tesco's, he thought about Arthur's foodless refrigerator (probably the only thing a Pendragon had ever truly had in common with an Emrys) and wondered what Arthur's weekly budget would be. Merlin thought about Arthur's quip that Merlin would be the one to do the shopping and wondered, if he returned, what other sorts of chores would be required of him.

Given that Arthur would be out of the flat much of the day while attending classes, Merlin could only surmise that any number of tasks would fall on him, though when faced with the thought of the unrelenting boredom of hanging around the flat by himself, or God forbid, following Arthur from class to class like a lonely puppy, probably carrying his rucksack of books, Merlin was no longer sure the idea of taking on the role of housekeeper was entirely without appeal.

Housekeeper by day and sex slave at night. Merlin smirked. Yes, he thought that he could get used to that. Except he wasn't overly fond of the term housekeeper. Manservant had a decidedly sexier ring to it. If he decided to go back, that was. Hell, who was he kidding? He had to go back for his personal effects, and if he laid eyes on Arthur, he wasn't going to be able to walk away without trying for one last shag. And once he'd had a shag... forget it.

As he was putting the groceries away (and definitely not thinking about Arthur's finer qualities), Merlin remembered his promise of getting tested. He tucked the cash he'd earned during his trial period with Arthur into the spare tea tin his mother kept in the cabinet over the cooker, scribbled a hasty note of thanks on the back of an envelope and dashed out of the flat.

He managed to make it to the walk-in “clinic” at the local hospital in time to grab the last seat in the waiting room, and pulling out his phone to play with, settled in for the long wait. It was later in the afternoon before he was called, and more than once, he'd considered cutting out. But, he was finally called and things got under way.

After a providing a urine sample, there was a quick physical exam and if Merlin had ever thought having his dick probed with a dry cotton swab was uncomfortable, it was only because he'd never had the good fortune of of a hasty but thorough scraping of his urethra by a nurse in a hurry to get home. After siphoning a few tubes of blood, Merlin was free to go. They had his phone number and promised to call when the results came in.

Having successfully accomplished everything he'd set out to do that day, Merlin caught a cab back to Westminster, where he holed himself into the corner of a cafe with a cocoa and a tart, and not because he was particularly hungry but because it would waste time. At this point, it was pretty much a given that he was going back to Arthur, only that Merlin wasn't quite ready yet. He had realised in the course of his late-night musings that he would be stupid not to stay on with Arthur. Arthur was pretty much guaranteed not to abuse Merlin, maim him, hurt him or cause irreparable damage to his psyche. Merlin would be able to let his guard down a little and even be a bit more playful which was a good thing because Merlin found it incredibly difficult to bite back the retorts around Arthur the way he had done with the others.

So, Arthur was a safe bet, but not only that, he had the potential to be fun. And he was fit and rather blessed in the cock-department. So why was Merlin procrastinating instead of beating his door down? Guiding Arthur through his foray into the world of bondage and domination was mentally exhausting for Merlin, who was stuck trying to play both roles. That, and he still hadn't found a way to get over his stupid crush, because unless he did, this thing between them was a disaster in the making. One simply did not fall in love with their paying Dominant. He might as well be walking into Mordor.

When Merlin felt as though he'd overstayed his welcome at the cafe, he made his way over to the flat (which compared to his mum’s, was a palace). Luckily, the doorman remembered him and let him in with a grin and a wink. Merlin would have tipped his hat if he wore one but settled for a nod and a clap on the back before dashing up the stairs, belatedly recalling more than half-way up that this building had a lift. He arrived on Arthur's floor, panting and slightly sweaty for all the wrong reasons. He took a few minutes to collect himself and then knocked on the door.

Gwaine answered, wearing only a pair of gym shorts and Merlin was momentarily distracted by his toned physique and the smattering of dark hairs between his pecs. His smile was wide and friendly and just shy of psychotic. "Merlin! Thank fuck. Arthur's been in a strop since yesterday afternoon. Maybe you can sort him out."

"Do my best," Merlin promised, stepping into the room. He waved to Lance and Percy who were devouring their share of an overly large pizza. Arthur was nowhere in sight and Merlin frowned. "He here?"

"What? Oh, yeah. Princess is in his room, said he had a headache. I think he's on the rag. You want something to eat before attempting to tame the beast?"

Merlin smirked and shook his head. "Nah. Thanks, maybe later."

Lance's call of, "There mightn't be any left, later!" was largely unheard as Merlin made his way down the hall.

Light streamed out of Arthur's room and Merlin paused just before the doorway where he could see Arthur lounging on the bed with what looked like a textbook. He swallowed and took a deep breath before knocking. This was it.

"I said I wasn't hungry!" Arthur snapped before looking up. When he did, the irritation faded and was momentarily replaced by surprise. "Merlin!"

"Can I come in?"

"Until you get your shit out, it's your room too,” Arthur said with a shrug.

Merlin was slightly taken aback though he stepped inside and shut the door behind him. "Uh...did you want me to, then?"

"Don't be an idiot, Merlin." Arthur went back to flipping pages. "Of course I don't want you to. I did give you a bundle of cash just yesterday, but that is what you're here for, isn't it?"

"Actually," Merlin frowned. "I was hoping that we could talk."

"So talk," Arthur replied in a clipped tone.

"You're angry with me," Merlin observed, hovering near the doorway.

Arthur put his thumb between the pages of his book and closed it as he sat up, swivelling and planting his feet on the floor. His eyes pierced through Merlin's core. "You ran off last night without explanation and couldn't be arsed to reply to my text. So, naturally, I am a little irritated."

Merlin took a deep breath and then crossed, settling onto his knees between Arthur's thighs.

"What are you doing?" Arthur asked, brows knotting in confusion.

"It's important for you to understand where I am coming from," Merlin said. "...Do you know what topping from the bottom is?"

Arthur cracked a grin. "Uh...cowboy-style?"

Of course not. Merlin tried very hard not to facepalm himself. "No. Not really, no. Topping from the bottom is...is when the sub tries to manipulate the scene. It's generally frowned on in the community...and it's not that I don't want to help you Arthur, because I do. I think you've got a lot of potential and I like...I like working with you."

Merlin's brain was racing ahead of him and he had almost just admitted to Arthur that he had a crush on him and that would have been bad. He tried to reel himself back by taking another deep breath. "But I'm a submissive. I'm not a switch. I don't like dominating, which isn't to say that I don't like _topping_ but I...what I'm trying to say is that trying to lead you more than just feels wrong. It's emotionally draining and it's part of the reason I've been crashing so hard when we're finished."

"You mean it's not because I've been fucking you into exhaustion?" Arthur's smile this time was more tentative and less cocksure. And while that was kind of endearing, Merlin's whole point was that Arthur needed to be more sure of himself.

"I'm not trying to cut you down..." Merlin said. "Arthur, I just...I'm really overwhelmed. It's always hard to adjust to a new person, but I almost like it in a way. Figuring out how to best please you...getting used to your punishment style...I don't sub for people because it pays well. I could get paid just as well if I were a professional Dominant. I like it. I...I need it. And I need to know that you're capable of taking charge...and that I do trust you to stop if I need you to."

Arthur leaned back, then forward again. "Why should you though? I've watched my father —"

Impulsively, Merlin grabbed Arthur's hand. "You are not your father."

"You don't know me," Arthur said, glancing away from Merlin.

"You care," Merlin pointed out. "And that alone sets you apart. But trust me when I say that the only thing you share is a set of chromosomes and a penchant for kinky sex. You aren't even into the same kind of kinky sex..."

Arthur pulled a face.

"Tell me to shut up," Merlin said as he smiled.

"Shut up, Merlin," Arthur grumbled. He took a breath and flashed a toothy grin. "And quit topping from your bottom."

"It's topping from the —" Merlin began and Arthur disengaged his hand from Merlin's clutch and put his thumb on Merlin's lips, effectively silencing him.

"I know, idiot. I was implying that you were talking out your arse, but apparently, subtlety goes over your head."

Merlin's initial instinct was to argue, but Arthur's thumb on his mouth was a solid reminder of his place.

"Now," Arthur continued. "Are you done talking or should I find something to occupy your mouth?"

Merlin made a soft sound in the back of his throat as he thought of what sort of things Arthur had at his disposal to keep Merlin quiet. His mind was already wandering away from the seriousness of the conversation

"Good. Because there are a few things that I want to say to _you_. First of all, _don't_ run away from me again. You need a minute to collect yourself, okay. A day? Fine. But _I_ need you to tell me that because I need to be able to trust that you will tell me when enough is enough. Yeah?"

Merlin nodded vigorously because Arthur had a point. And also because the sternness of his tone was giving Merlin a point -in the front of his jeans- and if he was very good, Arthur might do something about it.

Arthur went on. "Secondly, don't _ignore_ me, no matter the method of communication I've chosen. And tell me if you don't like something. You've made it clear the final decision is mine and as you've astutely pointed out, we need to get used to one another."

Yes! It did appear as though Arthur had a bit of a head for this after all. Merlin felt like a total fool for panicking the way he had. Things might just work out alright in the end after all.

"Third..." Arthur flashed another quick smile and Merlin would have considered a second career as a clown if he thought he could keep Arthur's face alight with smiles all day. "I have found some...some, _ahem_ , fetish clubs and I thought perhaps we could go and I could... ake notes. Figuratively, of course."

Merlin's lips stretched into a grin as he pictured Arthur with a pen and one of the yellow legal pads he favoured, scribbling away as Merlin knelt at his feet. But, he nodded again. Arthur could certainly benefit from seeing other Doms in action and Merlin wondered why he hadn't thought of it.

"Moreover..." Arthur said, outlining his speech as if it were one of his papers for uni.

Merlin would have rolled his eyes except that Arthur had seized him by the ears —and Merlin had a love/hate relationship with those damnable ears that Dominants so loved to get their hands on— and dragged him upward. "Ah!" Merlin cried out in surprise, and a little in pain.

But too soon, the pain was forgotten as Arthur fixed his mouth over Merlin's, snogging him soundly. Merlin was still pleasantly surprised each time that Arthur kissed him, because Uther never had, and after two years, he had grown used to a distinct lack of affection from his sexual partner. This, though, was brilliant. Each slide of Arthur's tongue against his own made a spark flare inside of him that warmed his entire body as it made its way to his groin.

Arthur's fingers tickled down Merlin's neck, trailed over his shoulders and around his ribcage to hook under Merlin's arms. He broke their kiss and hauled Merlin onto the bed. "Furthermore..." Arthur murmured, rolling atop Merlin. He reached down, taking each of Merlin's wrists in hand, drawing them over Merlin's head.

Merlin moaned softly and turned his head to one side as Arthur's lips found his throat. When Arthur's hips began to thrust, Merlin nearly came undone. It was stupid that something so simple had him teetering on the edge of orgasm, all things considered. It was like fooling around with Will in secondary school all over again. Merlin jerked in Arthur's grasp, gasping into his ear, "Oh God, Arthur, I'm going to come!"

"No, you're not."

It was so unexpected and so authoritative that Merlin almost did anyway. But somehow, he managed to pull himself back even as Arthur's hips seemed to grind against him harder, faster. And then Arthur was kissing him again and Merlin was losing himself, giving himself over to Arthur's demanding mouth.

Suddenly, Arthur pulled away from Merlin, drawing his knees up on either side of Merlin's hips. Arthur tore at his own belt buckle and zip, in a hurry to free his prick. He took it in hand and jerked himself hastily.

Arthur reached down with his free hand and shoved Merlin's t-shirt up and Merlin could do nothing but watch as Arthur's dick twitched then spurted. When Arthur was finished, there were six trails of come criss-crossed on Merlin's torso. With only a moment's hesitation, Arthur then began to smear his spunk over Merlin's body, spreading it thinly and rubbing it into Merlin's skin until Merlin was sticky from his nipples to his hips.

"Shit," Arthur swore and slid off of Merlin, legs shaking slightly as stood and retrieved a pair of boxers from his hamper, using them to clean his hand.

"Arthur..." Merlin said, almost in disbelief that Arthur would leave him untended to.

"Shut it." Arthur sighed and flopped back down beside him on the bed, softening cock still hanging from his trousers. "You're going to let that dry and then we're going out, because I am bloody starving."

A laugh bubbled out of Merlin before he could contain it and he clamped his hand over his mouth, but Arthur was breathlessly laughing too. "Idiot," Arthur said.

And Merlin couldn't help but counter with, "Prat."

Arthur's hand scrabbled over and he pinched the inside of Merlin's thigh through his trousers but it only made Merlin laugh harder.

"Dollophead." Merlin giggled and Arthur roared with laughter.

Yes. This arrangement might have been the best thing Merlin had done for himself of late. Things, for once, were looking up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are diverging views of what "topping from the bottom" truly means in the world of kink. In this instance, please understand that Uther has been manipulating and twisting Merlin's perceptions for two years.
> 
> Manipulation coming from either the Dominant or the submissive is wrong. Please practice informed, negotiated play. Keep your communication lines open.
> 
> Please practice Risk Aware Consentual Kink. Views expressed by characters do not necesarily reflect views of author. This is fan fiction! Be safe!


	5. Chapter 5

Arthur was glad that he'd been able to spend the last week and a half of his winter holiday getting to know Merlin. It had been an interesting change from the usual ski-trips, game playing and pub-crawling that he was used to with the lads, though it was hard to be discreet when living with three other people, especially with how vocal Merlin could be. Arthur was fairly certain that Gwaine was catching on to them and once he knew, they might as well give up the ghost because Gwaine was not going to let them live it down.

As a reward for making it through three weeks of classes, and because he'd promised to take Merlin, Arthur was now getting ready for The Club, the world's largest fetish venue, which just so happened to be situated in the heart of London. In his spare time, Merlin had apparently taken it upon himself to procure what he claimed was appropriate clothing but Arthur was having supreme doubts.

"Is it a costume party?" Arthur asked, his nose crinkling as he eyed the military uniform Merlin had laid out for him. If Arthur was not mistaken, it was a World War II era Soviet Union uniform, complete with knee boots and cap.

Merlin stood naked before him, towelling his hair dry from the shower. "I _told_ you, TC has strictly enforced dress code and you're not going to make it through the door unless you're over the top. If you prefer, you can wear my harness and a pair of dress trousers, but I'll have to paint your face and...I don't know...spike your hair or something." Arthur curled his lip at the thought and Merlin went on. "Tonight, if you see something you like better, I'll do my best to get it for you. But I thought this was a safe bet. You won't be the only one dressed this way, I guarantee. And besides, I rather like the idea of polishing those boots with my tongue."

Arthur's eyes strayed toward said boots. They were already shining beneath the lights, but they were sure to get at least a little sullied on the way to and from the car...he swallowed thickly and then looked back to Merlin, who was gazing at him almost hungrily. Arthur tamped down his initial urge to throw Merlin on the bed and managed a casual shrug and a sniff of indifference. "Maybe. If you're lucky, I'll let on that I'm with you. Or maybe I'll find someone else to show me the ropes."

"Arthur." Merlin let the hand with the towel drop to his side as his face took on a rather becoming petulance.

"Merlin," Arthur said in response before turning his back, poking at the costume with his forefinger. It appeared to be just the jacket and the breeches and no shirt. "I think you forgot the button-up..."

"What? No. You'll be too hot in a shirt beneath the jacket and the outfit won't look as good if you take off the coat. Unbuttoned and bare-chested is a better look for you, I think," Merlin said.

Arthur grinned to himself and ran his hand up his abdomen. He was rather fit, wasn't he? "Do I get a say in yours, then?" He dropped onto the bed beside the outfit and unabashedly watched Merlin.

"Of course." Merlin smirked. "Let me model it for you first, though." He finished drying off and then reached for something that looked like a few loops of leather held together by O-rings and glittering with metallic studs. Merlin tucked his arms through and pulled it over his head before adjusting the buckles beneath each armpit. Next, Merlin liberally dusted his lower half with Talcum powder and Arthur watched in amusement as Merlin wrestled his way into a pair of skin-tight leather trousers. The waistband came nowhere near Merlin's natural waist, ending low on his hips and exposing the root of his cock, which Merlin was busy tucking carefully into the trousers.

Arthur's eyebrows shot skyward. "Bit small, maybe?"

Merlin frowned and smoothed his hand over the outline of his prick. "Do you think?"

Arthur scoffed and rolled his eyes because Merlin was clearly fishing for a compliment. "Your...costume, idiot. Your cock is fine."

Merlin grinned and turned his rump toward Arthur. "But I think it shows off my best assets, don't you?" The swell of Merlin's arse was plump where the leather cut into it, the cleft and the dimple at the top of it on display like a woman's cleavage. Arthur couldn't help but reach out, running the backs of his fingers over skin and leather.

Humming in agreement, Arthur squeezed Merlin's left buttock in one hand and slapped the right cheek with the other. "What else have you got? I'm not sure I want to let you out like this..."

Merlin rolled his eyes and went to the closet. "French maid...leopard print kitten get-up, PVC boxers —boring!—....thought I had a pair of vinyl chaps floating around somewh-oh, here they are!"

Arthur frowned. None of those options seemed any more appealing than what Merlin already had on, and he definitely did not want him parading around completely bare-arsed. "So much for choice."

" _Au contraire_ ," Merlin smiled slyly and moved toward Arthur, kneeling before him and sliding his toybox from beneath the bed. He opened the lid and pulled out a handful of leather and chains, which he slipped into his own lap. "You get to pick the accessories..."

By the time they were done, Arthur had bedecked Merlin in matching leather collars on his neck and at the base of his cock. Arthur had dressed and the leather leash that would attach to either's D-ring was coiled in Arthur's pocket. He couldn't help but stroke it as he waited in the queue for the club.

Both Arthur and Merlin had been asked to flash their attire as well as their ID's at the door, though to Arthur's amusement, it was Merlin's that garnered more scrutiny. Once inside, Merlin took their coats and as they waited for the coat check, Arthur looked around at the other patrons and suddenly started to feel nervous. There was more shiny PVC and vinyl than Arthur had ever seen in one place before. Many people were in various states of undress and Arthur had only been marginally prepared for that. His and Merlin's outfits seemed tame in comparison to the guy in the leather pig head or the trio of girls in gas masks and tutus. Arthur was trying not to look at any one person for too long. The queue moved forward and Arthur blindly grabbed for Merlin's arm. He didn't want Merlin straying away from him.

Luckily, Merlin seemed to get that, pressing close into the crook of Arthur's arm, the brush of Merlin's lips against his ear sending a tingle through him. "It's okay to look. No one went to the trouble of dressing....or undressing...to not be looked at. And did you want this?" Merlin had retrieved the leather strap from Arthur's coat pocket where it might have been forgotten otherwise.

Arthur nodded and took it from him, eyeing Merlin for a long moment as he tried to decide whether or not he was bold enough to clip it to the circlet of leather clinched around Merlin's bits. He wasn't, and Merlin seemed to be on to that too. Merlin smiled reassuringly and lifted his chin in accommodation.

If Arthur had felt overwhelmed as he waited to make use of the cloakroom, it was nothing compared to how he felt on entering the club. He was assaulted by the sights, sounds and people of The Club, which danced serpiginously between freakish and erotic. The name of the club itself was innocuous enough although the website had alluded to what lay within with photos and reviews. Still, there was nothing that could have prepared him for this.

In a haze, he wandered from room to room, trying to make sense of everything. Arthur resorted himself to assigning the kinks he saw into different categories (familiar, unfamiliar, interesting, scary...) just to get past how overwhelming the experience was. In a fleeting moment, Arthur thought he saw the duality of it: everything was kink and therefore, nothing was. But even as the feeling washed over him, it was dissipating, leaving him to wonder how such a thing could be.

Finally, Merlin put his hand on Arthur's arm, effectively drawing Arthur's attention. Merlin jerked his head toward to wall and Arthur moved out of the way with him. "You look proper scared!" Merlin shouted and his face lit with a laugh.

Arthur wanted to laugh too but he was out of his element by a long shot and it was making him nervous, and thereby irritable. "Are you laughing at me?" he demanded, jerking Merlin closer with the leash.

Merlin rearranged his expression, affecting innocence and shook his head. "No Sir!" He broke into a grin again. "I mean, Yes, Sir! Perhaps a spanking is in order!"

Arthur looked askance. On the other side of the room, people were spanking and being spanked. Or paddled. Or flogged. And there was no bloody way that he could stand amidst them and pretend that he had half a clue what he was doing. "Merlin..." he said, looking back at Merlin and not knowing what to say.

"It's okay!" Merlin promised, interrupting him with a brief kiss and looking sheepish as he pulled back. "We don't have to do this. Do you just want to dance? Get a drink?"

Arthur nodded in relief. He had never danced with a bloke before, but he was certain that he could handle that challenge easily. Music was music and Arthur was confident he could at least keep up with Merlin, who could barely walk through a room without tripping over his own feet.

As it turned out, Arthur was pleasantly surprised by Merlin's skill: not that he was supremely talented, though Merlin did manage to move to the beat and without putting an elbow in anyone's nose. What's more, Merlin danced the way he fucked — hard and fast and without a care in the world. It left Arthur aching to peel Merlin out of those ridiculously low-cut leather trousers and fuck him six ways from Sunday, especially when Merlin rolled his hips sinuously and dragged the swell of his arse over Arthur's cock. As he was doing repeatedly, at that very instant.

Digging his fingers into Merlin's hips and jerking hard, Arthur pulled Merlin flush against him and ground his pelvis into Merlin's backside. Merlin tossed a cheeky grin over his shoulder and it made Arthur smile in return. Soon though, Arthur had to push Merlin away from him in favour of loosening the buttons of his coat. He was sweating balls and the muggy club air hit his skin like a tropical storm. Complicating matters was the fact that Merlin's hands were now on him, gliding up his torso, under the shoulders of the jacket, pushing it away from him. Arthur watched Merlin's head dip and felt Merlin's flattened tongue swipe over his abs, along his ribcage, around a nipple. As Merlin's mouth moved to Arthur's pulse point, Arthur groaned, and though the sound was swallowed by the club, he was embarrassed by it. He nudged Merlin back, pantomiming drinking from a bottle and Merlin gave a reluctant nod of agreement.

After they shared a bottle of water and Arthur had done a few quick shots, Merlin talked Arthur into seeing one of the shows currently underway on the third floor. Together, they navigated a stairway steep enough to kill anyone who took a spill, though luckily they remained in control of their faculties and equilibrium, both. The theatre was a large, open room crowded with spectators whose eyes were trained skyward. It was almost impossible not to copy everyone's pose.

From the ceiling, an octagonal ring was suspended. Smoke coiled and twisted through the air as an eerie melody warbled, the underlying beat suspenseful and somehow, erotic. A feline form was curling itself around and along the ring with movements that were part gymnastic grace, part pole-dance. The scene was backlit, leaving the dancer silhouetted, face in shadows save for when she turned in profile, and then her features shown only in crisp relief.

Merlin curled against Arthur's side and his fingers began to play over Arthur's chest and stomach once more, his touch maddeningly gentle, tickling just enough to be distracting. Arthur dragged Merlin in front of him, locking his arms around Merlin's ribcage and pinning him in place.

Before long, Arthur became aware that Merlin's hips were undulating in tune with the music and pushing his bottom against Arthur's pelvis, mirroring each of the dancer's lascivious grinds against the ring.

"You are really asking for it..." Arthur growled in Merlin's ear.

In response, Merlin rolled his hips again, then craned his head back against Arthur's shoulder. He grinned as Arthur tipped his face down to hear him. "Are you hard for her or me?"

Trailing his fingers from Merlin's hip to sternum, Arthur smiled. "Her," he said with a matter-of-factness.

Merlin forcefully bumped his arse backward, catching Arthur just hard enough to leave a dull ache spreading through his groin. Before Arthur had the chance to be irritated, Merlin slid down Arthur's torso, twisting to his knees before he hit the floor. _Are you sure?_ Merlin mouthed before rubbing his face against the rigid line of Arthur's cock, trapped against his leg in the slim-fitting trousers.

Arthur grabbed Merlin in a panic and shouted, "What are you doing?"

Merlin canted his head to one side, flicking his eyes in the same direction. Arthur followed his line of vision and saw a man in an executioner’s mask a few yards away. His hand was fisted into the hair of the blonde woman before him, guiding her movements as she sucked him.

The executioner glanced in their direction after a moment and Arthur was flustered to realise he'd been caught staring. With a bob of his head and a grin, the man went back to watching the show and Merlin began to nuzzle Arthur's crotch insistently. Arthur's heart raced and though he had been startled to see such a flagrant act, he was also emboldened by it. When he ran his fingers through Merlin's ink-dark hair, Merlin turned wide, guileless blue eyes on him and as Arthur nodded in allowance, Merlin's lips curved into a deviant smile.

In a matter of seconds, Merlin had both exposed Arthur's prick to the air and swallowed it down to the root, leaving Arthur planting his feet wider and clutching at Merlin to keep himself from falling over. And though Arthur tried to return his attention to the aerial artist who was still writhing provocatively, his attention span had considerably narrowed to a single focal point. Arthur's eyes fluttered shut and as he wondered how many sets of eyes were on them, his skin prickled with heat.

Throughout the evening and even now, Merlin seemed unphased by the very scenes that had shaken Arthur's perceptions of the world —and himself— at large. Right now, Arthur Pendragon, former football team captain and high school playboy, heir to the Pendragon enterprise, was standing in a fetish club getting sucked by his paid submissive.

And Merlin was doing a hell of a job, enthusiastically bobbing away while tonguing the underside of Arthur's cock just the way Arthur liked it. Merlin began to hum or perhaps moan: over the noise of the club Arthur couldn't be sure which, but either way, it reverberated along his cock in the most delightful way. Arthur's fingers dug into Merlin's shoulders and Merlin eased back, lapping at Arthur lightly, keeping him on the edge. Merlin toyed with him this way, until it seemed Arthur's thigh muscles were shaking with the effort of holding himself up. As the music reached a crescendo, Merlin worked him hard and fast and as Arthur's orgasm tore through him, he bit his lip to stifle a cry that wouldn't be heard.

Just as Arthur's cock gave a final twitch and spurt, the crowd erupted in applause and Arthur jerked in surprise, his eyes flying open and his heart leaping into his throat. To his chagrin, the performance was over and Merlin was already efficiently tucking Arthur's member back into his trousers and doing up the zip. He had a cheeky grin on his face and it didn't disappear even when Arthur took a handful of Merlin's hair and hauled Merlin to his feet.

"You did that on purpose!" Arthur growled into Merlin's ear.

Merlin tipped his face against Arthur's and purred in return, "So what if I did?"

Arthur looked pointedly at Merlin, and with deliberation, slowly unclipped the dangling leash from Merlin's collar. He trailed the clasp down Merlin's torso, watching Merlin's breath catch as he reattached it to the ring buckled snugly around Merlin's cock and balls. "So what if you did?" Arthur flashed a sarcastic smile and let the leather leash slide through his fingers until he reached the loop at the end and, tucking his fingers into it, tugged sharply.

Merlin's hips jerked toward Arthur and he stumbled forward, reaching for Arthur. Arthur righted him and in the same movement, dipped his fingers into the waistband of Merlin's leather pants. Merlin's cock was hard and hot in his hand.

"Oh, so you do like this? Little pervert likes to be watched, does he?" Arthur adjusted Merlin's trousers so that his nethers were exposed then stepped back, assessing him only briefly as they were getting caught up in the departing crowd. Arthur turned and moved with them, trusting Merlin to keep up. There simply wasn't any other option.

Arthur made his way back downstairs and somehow found himself back in one of the playrooms. He beckoned to Merlin without looking at him, glancing over only when Merlin's shoulder brushed his own.

Merlin was faintly flushed and his pupils were wide. At the end of the leash, his dick was straining, the head glistening and wet. The sight of Merlin's arousal made Arthur's spent cock twitch in his pants and he was sure beyond a doubt that he would be ready again soon. There was an empty chair a short distance away from them and Arthur gestured toward it.

Regally, Arthur lowered himself and perched his forearms on the armrests. Merlin gazed at him expectantly and for a moment, Arthur was confused. Then, he realized Merlin was still hoping for a spanking and panic lanced through Arthur once more. He wasn't ready to be watched yet, wasn't confident in his ability to put on the sort of show the other club-goers were probably accustomed to. He shook his head and leaned forward, snapping his fingers by his shins. "Here."

Merlin dropped to a kneeling position, his body angled toward Arthur's and with his arms folded neatly into the small of his back. He was a picture of devotion and Arthur couldn't help but feel his pride swell, knowing that other patrons might look at Merlin and be impressed or envious because of him. But, he couldn't let Merlin's little trick go unpunished or he might think that Arthur enjoyed being made a fool of.

Arthur hooked his finger through the D-ring on Merlin's collar, instantly capturing Merlin's attention. "I bet you thought you were funny with your little stunt in the theatre..."

Merlin swallowed down a smile. "I just thought you might appreciate a standing ovation. Sometimes, I think my appreciation for you isn't enough."

"Is that right?" Arthur murmured, tracing his fingers over Merlin's plump lips.

Merlin nodded and his mouth fell open as he chased Arthur's fleeting fingers. Seizing the opportunity, Arthur placed the handle of the leash in Merlin's mouth and smirked at the crestfallen look on Merlin's face as he realized he hadn't gotten what he wanted.

"It isn't fun being tricked, is it, Merlin?" Arthur leaned back in the chair and crossed one ankle over his knee as Merlin shook his head. "Maybe the next time you'll get the spanking you wanted. Until then, you can watch someone else have theirs."

Merlin's contrite, puppy dog look softened Arthur's heart and he reached over to ruffle Merlin's hair affectionately even though his attention was already drawn to one of the couple's getting ready to play.

A tall, lanky man with dark hair and high cheekbones was being directed over a pommel horse. He had large, expressive eyes that skittered over the crowd but landed on Merlin. When they did, a cocky grin blossomed on his face. "You think I should struggle? Put on a show?" He wriggled his arse for emphasis.

Arthur watched as Merlin's eyes widened in response to the cheeky sub and for a moment, thought Merlin might nod in encouragement. Arthur wasn't opposed to a bit of a show himself but the interactive portion of this whole evening was somewhat distressing. It must have shown on his face because the dominant handling him flicked his eyes at Arthur before shaking his shaggy brown hair out of his heart-shaped face. Then, he leaned over, playfully cuffing the lanky man upside the head. "Don't engage the other subs, Roman. You might get them in trouble."

"I'm not a sub, Peter. I'm just doing you a favour." The man called Roman tossed a grin over his shoulder.

"Sure you are," Peter replied, distracted as he buckled Roman's ankles in place.

Arthur thought that the two of them weren't much older than himself and he found himself admiring their easy confidence. He was also enjoying their banter, which reminded Arthur of his own interactions with Merlin (although Roman's brattiness far exceeded Merlin's).

Peter and Roman amassed a sizeable audience, Peter captivating them all with his wide smile as he worked Roman over with his hands and a flogger that he kept tucked in the back of his leather trousers when he wasn't using it, and Roman with his slow transformation from insolent brat to quiet-but-responsive submissive.

Somewhere along the way, Merlin had turned toward Arthur, pushing his face against Arthur's knee. Arthur had been too absorbed in the show to pay him much mind, other than to remove the lead from his mouth and pet him gently. After a while, Peter and Roman began to wind down and Arthur became aware of Merlin repeatedly rubbing his face back and forth against the fabric of Arthur's knee. He cupped Merlin's chin and lifted it gently. "Did you need something, love?"

Merlin looked dazed and there was a red mark on his left cheekbone from the friction against Arthur's rough cotton trousers. Slowly, Merlin's eyes dragged upward and he smiled, lifting his right hand to cover Arthur's left. "Hmmm?"

Arthur frowned. "Merlin, are you alright?"

Merlin lifted his head out of Arthur's hands and moved forward, pushing it against Arthur's stomach as he wrapped his arms around Arthur's waist. For a minute, Arthur tried to untangle himself from Merlin, but Merlin only clung tighter.

"Merlin, what's wrong, why are you acting like this?" Arthur demanded in a hushed tone.

"He's in the zone, man." A lackadaisical American accent drifted toward Arthur and he looked up to find Peter standing in front of him, supporting Roman with an arm around his waist. Roman looked as out of it as Merlin did.

"The zone?" Arthur echoed dubiously and wondered if there was something in the water.

"Yeah, man, sub-space. You know, that feel-good place you go sometimes inside your head when you do a good scene...I saw it. One minute your boy was watching and into it and the next time I looked, he'd checked out. It's cool for him, not a lot of subs can get there so easy." He leaned over and offered his hand. "I'm Pete. Roman and I were pretty new to the scene ourselves, not too long ago."

"Uh...I'm Arthur." Politeness had him shaking Peter's hand without much forethought. "So what do I do?"

Peter released Arthur's hand and looked at Roman as he stroked him gently. "Don't know what your arrangement is, but I'm taking this one home and putting him to bed. Just be good to him man, he'll come around in a bit."

"...Right. Thanks..."

"Sure. Be cool, Arthur." Peter gave a little wave and started to steer Roman away. "Catch you around."

"Later," Arthur replied as he turned his attention back to Merlin. "You want to go home, love?"

"Okay," Merlin agreed after a moment, but made no effort to move.

Arthur hooked his arms beneath Merlin's armpits and stood up with him. As they made their way to the cloakroom, Arthur kept a firm hold on Merlin, unsure what to expect.

As they got to the car, Merlin clutched at Arthur and tipped his face up. "Kiss me!" He boldly demanded, but that was innocuous enough, so Arthur tipped Merlin back against the side of his Aston and did just that.

It was meant to be a brief, chaste kiss, but Merlin yielded so exquisitely to Arthur that he couldn't help but deepen it into a slow, sensual one. It wasn't until Merlin shivered against him that Arthur remembered they were braced against his car in the middle of the night. Arthur opened the door for Merlin, reaching across to buckle him in.

Merlin gazed at him for a long moment before smiling brightly. "I really like you, Arthur. You take such good care of me."

Looking back, that night was the turning point for Arthur. It made it clear to him that kink wasn't just a perverse pastime enjoyed by the elite and bored. It was a lifestyle enjoyed by people from all walks and upbringings. More importantly, it meant that Arthur wasn't just Uther's protégé. He was his own person, and he was normal.

***

It was a windy day in March when Arthur's world started to go pear-shaped. His last class of the day had been cancelled so Arthur texted Merlin what he thought was fair warning— _On my way. Be ready._

Merlin's enthusiastic _Yes Sir!_ had been accompanied by a picture of himself saluting. Arthur rolled his eyes even as he grinned. Merlin was far from the picture of obedience that he'd promised in the contract he'd drawn up and made Arthur sign, but Arthur couldn't imagine Merlin as anything but a cheeky brat though if interrogated, Arthur would never cop to the fact that he liked it.

All the way home, Arthur could think of nothing but ravaging Merlin. He was expecting to find his pushy little submissive lubed and stretched, waiting on the bed or on his knees in the bedroom, ready to be taken and used. Arthur was so hot for him that he rarely made it through one of the games Merlin liked to play, unless he'd taken the edge off first. And with the extra time on hand, today was shaping up to be just the day for one of said games.

Apparently, Merlin thought so too.

As Arthur entered the flat, he threw his satchel into the corner and sat on the sofa to remove his shoes. In the adjacent kitchen, the clinking of glasses caught his attention. He looked up and his attention was immediately drawn to shiny, black satin accented with white lace. It was drawn tight over broad shoulders and the hem barely made it to the tops of too-skinny thighs, where milky white flesh peeked over the top of a pair of thigh high stockings as Merlin reached into the cabinets.

Arthur couldn't help the derisive snort that escaped him. "The fuck are you wearing?"

Merlin half-turned, throwing a coy look over his shoulder. "You were coming home early and I thought we'd have time...anyway, Marguerite wanted to play." He smoothed down the apron as he came around the island to perch precariously on the edge of the table.

"Marguerite? Is that your alter-ego?" Arthur gave him another once-over, noting Merlin's distinct lack of creativity in the hair, make-up and jewellery department and the way the frock accented Merlin's leanness in his resolute absence of curves. On Merlin's feet were a pair of the largest, ugliest black high heels that Arthur had ever seen. As their eyes met once more, Merlin preened and Arthur burst out laughing. "You are the ugliest girl I've ever seen!"

Merlin's cheeks pinked as he began to pout and in that moment, Arthur thought that perhaps a little blush was all that was needed to enhance Merlin's features. "You look absolutely ridiculous like that," Arthur emphasized, first leaning forward and then getting up altogether. He circled nearer and ran one finger over the delicate lace collar, deliberately grazing his knuckles over Merlin's Adam's apple which bobbed as Merlin swallowed.

"You're just a boy in a dress." Arthur forced his lip to curl as he said it, because he wasn't nearly as disgusted as he let on and Merlin's flush was just too pretty for words. His finger continued its descent down Merlin's shoulder and chest. Merlin's nipple was a hard bead beneath his fingertips and Arthur paused to worry it, listening as Merlin's breath caught in his throat.

"A disappointing effort on your behalf, really. You know what's womanly? Tits, Merlin, and you're flat as a pancake. And you want to know what else I like?" Arthur went on, sneaking his free hand into Merlin's hair, which was barely long enough to hold onto, let alone yank but he did it anyway, forcing Merlin's head back. "A nice handful of curls."

Arthur nosed Merlin's ear and then the column of his throat. "You even smell like a boy... I have to say, Merlin, I'm not really seeing the appeal." Arthur stepped back, shaking his head.

Merlin's face was bright red, the tips of his biteable ears practically purple. He made a soft sound in the back of his throat and looked away. "I'm sorry? Should I take it off?"

"Not yet," Arthur said. "I want to see what you've got on under there. Are you even wearing proper knickers, or have you boxers on?" He batted at the frilly petticoats flippantly.

"Knickers," Merlin breathed, drawing up the hem of the skirt to display them.

Arthur almost groaned aloud. While the maid costume wasn't doing much for him, the sight of Merlin's straining cock constrained by delicate black lace was almost unbearably erotic. He twirled his index finger in the air. "Turn around."

Arching an eyebrow, Merlin did as told, hitching his skirt up over his hips. The knickers had four rows of neat ruffles running across the curve of Merlin's arse. Arthur lost the rest of his composure, grabbing Merlin by the hips and thumbing the frills. Merlin swayed in his grasp, planting his feet wider and rearing back into Arthur's hands.

Arthur stroked Merlin's backside before gathering the gauzy material in one hand and pulling it into the crack of Merlin's arse. Merlin groaned softly, arching and flexing in place as Arthur kneaded the exposed globes of flesh. "Did you even get yourself ready for me, or did you waste all your time getting tarted up?"

"M'ready!" Merlin groaned into the space between his arms, lifting his arse again.

Arthur wanted to fuck him. Here. Now. Push Merlin down against the table and ride him for all that he was worth. He spared a look at the door and another at his watch. He didn't know any of the other lads’ schedules, but he was willing to bet Merlin did. He ran his finger along the seam of Merlin's arse where the fabric was gathered, pushing on the plug when he felt it. "It's ten past three. Are we expecting anyone else, soon?"

"Lance!" Merlin gasped, turning his head to the side.

"Bugger." Arthur ruffled his left hand hand through his hair and with a sigh of resignation, let his hand swoop down and land squarely on Merlin's left flank. "Get your arse in the bedroom then. And take off that idiotic dress..."

Merlin straightened, slithered away from Arthur and went clicking down the hall in his bloody heels, looking like he would take a header into the wall at any minute.

Arthur rolled his eyes as he strolled after Merlin, grumbling to himself, "I hope your mother has a bloody good insurance policy on you..."

By the time Arthur reached the bedroom, he'd taken down all the buttons on his shirt and he shrugged out of it, leaving it in a pile on the floor, followed immediately by his trousers and pants. Merlin had taken the liberty of arranging himself on Arthur's bed, propped against the pillows with his ankles crossed.

In addition to the knickers and the thigh-highs, Merlin was also wearing what Arthur would later come to know as an 'underbust corset', and he could see that Merlin had made at least a slight attempt to give himself a waist. The corset was shiny black satin with a filigreed print in matte-black, accentuated with the barest hint of lace.

"Get those shoes off before you kill one of us..." Arthur instructed, his belt buckle jangling as his foot caught his discarded pile of clothes on the way past.

Without hesitation, Merlin flexed each foot so that the heels dropped onto the mattress. Then, he bent and catching them with his fingertips, flung them toward the closet before reclining back with a hesitant smile. "Arthur..."

"Shut up, Merlin," Arthur breathed and dropped his knees onto the bed. He sat back on his heels and seized one of Merlin's feet, bringing it to his chest as he inspected it, ran his fingers along the silky material from Merlin's ankle to his knee. Frowning, he peered closer. "Did you _shave?_ "

Merlin wriggled his toes against Arthur's chest and sighed when Arthur dug his fingers into his instep, kneading firmly. "Waxed."

Arthur's eyebrows shot skyward. "Everything?" He hadn't looked at Merlin that closely; he'd been too distracted by the frills and frippery to notice the state of his affairs, though Merlin had always kept himself neatly groomed in that regard.

"Yeah." Merlin squirmed and tipped down the top of his knickers, exposing an expanse of smooth, pale flesh.

Arthur shoved Merlin's foot aside and moved into the space between Merlin's splayed thighs where he grabbed hold of Merlin's knickers and began to tug them down. Merlin lifted his hips and then his legs in accommodation and Arthur slid them down and off while leaving the stockings in place.

With a sigh, Arthur slid his face along Merlin's leg from calf to thigh and then turning his head, moved his tongue over Merlin's pink, hairless sac, around the root of his cock and up to his navel. "You are a filthy tease, Merlin," Arthur husked and nipped at him in retribution.

"Who's teasing?" Merlin groaned. "I'm yours for the taking."

"And I will take you, have no doubt..." Arthur murmured, rolling his thumb over Merlin's velvety skin. "What I am referring to is your apparent need to draw attention to yourself."

Arthur spared a glance at Merlin before he played this final card, because what he said next could make things go incredibly pear shaped. He found Merlin staring down at him, the irises of his eyes nearly obscured by his lust-dilated pupils, his chest heaving as he sucked in great breaths, fingers dancing over his own skin, plucking nipples into peaks. He decided to venture on, lowering his voice. "Maybe my father was right about you...maybe you are just a whore."

Merlin's eyelids fluttered and he groaned softly.

"Is that it? You're just a little slut who can't control his impulses?"

Merlin whimpered and nodded in agreement.

Arthur sat up once more, running his thumb over Merlin's burning cheeks, over his plump, bitten lips. "Show me..."

In misunderstanding, Merlin opened his mouth, chasing Arthur's thumb as he pulled his hand clear. "From this moment forward, you shall have nothing that I don't give to you until you learn —"

"Jesus, yes!" Merlin whispered, falling back against the pillows, though his hands were still roaming over his own skin, smoothing over the corset, nails digging red lines into his own hips and thighs.

"Until you learn," Arthur repeated. "That you are mine to command. Now, get on your knees and show me what I've paid for."

"Fuck, yes, Arthur..." Merlin said, scrambling into position and spreading his arsecheeks wide with his hands.

At Merlin's very centre was a large, cut-glass gemstone that Arthur had never seen before. It caught the light and made it dance across the bedspread and Arthur's mouth went dry at the sight of it. He stopped himself short from touching it and just looked for a long while. Eventually, Merlin started to squirm under the scrutiny.

"Stay still," Arthur rasped, shaking himself to clear his head. He licked his lips to wet them and finally let himself stroke the jewelled end of the plug. "Merlin, I think the maid's been stealing from us."

"What makes you think that?" Merlin's voice was muffled by the pillows surrounding his face.

Arthur curled his fingers around the end of the plug and pushed it in then twisted it. Slowly, Arthur worked it free, watching Merlin's flesh cling to it greedily. "Some of the jewels she flaunts look familiar. I do wonder how she smuggles them out..."

Merlin laughed breathlessly, then groaned. "Do you have any idea how good you are at this?"

"What, fucking? I am sure I at least hinted at it, years ago." Arthur smirked to himself and licked his finger before running it along Merlin's lube-slicked and loosened rim. "Should I dock her wages, you think? Or take it out on her arse?"

"We're still talking about M-marguerite?" Merlin's voice wavered. Arthur could tell from the tenseness in Merlin's thighs that he was fighting to keep from moving.

"Yes, Marguerite." Arthur hummed. "The maid. She has the prettiest little hole...well, maybe not so little." Three of his fingers sank easily into Merlin's heat and he flexed them, causing Merlin to sway toward him.

"Arthur..."

Arthur wordlessly pushed Merlin back into place. "As Marguerite's benefactor, I'm sure I'm owed at least a bit of respect, wouldn't you agree, _Mer_ lin?"

"Sir!" Merlin gasped.

Arthur slid his fingers free and let them ghost along Merlin's spine, leaving a glistening trail in their wake, and deliberately ignoring Merlin’s honorific. “This Marguerite of yours...Merlin, I’m certain she’s a tart.”

“You may be right about that.” Merlin sucked in a breath as he lifted his face free of the pillows. “And I have decided...that you should take it out on her arse...it’s only fair, after all.”

“You don’t think I’m being too hard on her?” Arthur pretended to muse, pushing his fingers back into Merlin without warning and enjoying the surprised sound that Merlin managed to swallow down and turn into a moan. Before Merlin, he would have laughed if anyone had ever insinuated that talking...that banter...was foreplay. But this? It was glorious.

“If anything, you should be harder, really,” Merlin reasoned. “I mean, first offence and all, if you teach her a proper lesson, maybe she won’t do it again.”

“Wouldn’t want to scare the poor thing off though, would we?” Arthur said, thinking that perhaps he had been a little hard on Merlin’s efforts. He hadn’t decided yet whether or not he was interested in seeing ‘Marguerite’ in full costume again but wasn’t ruling out the possibility. Arthur curled his fingers against the knot of flesh inside of Merlin “You just let her know she’s going to have to work off what she owes me.”

“Maybe you should tell her yourself.” Merlin’s voice was strained when he spoke and his thighs starting to shake with the effort of keeping still.

Arthur was silent for a moment, then acquiesced, tipping his head as he said, “Marguerite, love, we need to talk about your sticky fingers.”

Merlin took a long, shuddering breath before his head lowered again. "Sorry, Sir. You have so many pretty things and I couldn’t help myself.” His voice was soft and decidedly demure, but still sounded like Merlin. Arthur liked that he hadn’t resorted to falsetto or an affected accent for his role.

“You just come sit on my lap and we’ll talk about it, hmm?” He flexed his fingers before withdrawing them again, this time placing them on Merlin's hips in order to guide him into place.

Groaning, Merlin scooted backward onto Arthur's cock and Arthur swore then jerked Merlin properly into his lap and impatiently thrust the last couple of inches into him before stilling. He trailed his fingers down Merlin's bicep. "You've been very naughty, Marguerite..."

"Arthur...I can't..." Merlin interrupted, rocking his pelvis. "God, you're so deep, I have to...have to move.

With a shake of his head, Arthur pulled Merlin back into place, holding him firmly with one hand while the other sought a nipple, pinching and twisting it. “Not so fast, my pretty Marguerite. I want you to take your time, make a thorough job of it, Love. No sense in rushing, or I’ll have you do it again from the beginning.”

Merlin whined and writhed in Arthur’s arms. “Yes, yes _Sir_ , Christ, _please_ let me move...I need...”

“You’re very needy, are you? Go on then.” Arthur said, giving Merlin the go ahead with a slap to the flank. Then, he slid his hand over Merlin’s corset to his chest where he began to knead Merlin’s pectorals as though they were breasts, pausing now and then to tug on Merlin’s hard, tight little nipples as Merlin worked himself in Arthur’s lap. Every now and then, Arthur would issue a directive, _harder, faster, slower, easy_ keeping himself on edge as much as he was Merlin.

He was thinking of England and the Queen when a bead of sweat formed between Merlin’s shoulder blades and mesmerized, Arthur watched it well up then fall, sliding over and around the knobby protuberances of Merlin’s spine until it disappeared into the cleft of Merlin’s arse.

“ _Shit!_ ” Arthur swore, and his hips bucked up, creating a delicious friction between them. He curled his arms around Merlin’s middle and fucked into him from below, grunting with the effort of it. “Bloody fucking hell, you’ll be the death of me!” 

“Me?” Merlin gasped incredulously, reclining against Arthur’s chest and holding onto his hands as he was jolted with the force of Arthur’s thrusts. “You’re killing _me_ , I swear...oh! Just there, please, god, fuck...”

“Are you coming?” Arthur asked, driving again at the same angle, desperately holding off for one more moment just to feel Merlin clench around him.

“Please!” Merlin unleashed a strangled cry, his body tensing.

“Do it if you’re going to...” Arthur said, not even sure if what he’d said made any sort of sense. He thrust once, twice more, before giving up the fight and emptying himself into Merlin’s hot clutch, even as Merlin gave himself a few hasty wanks to speed along the process.

Merlin cried out as he came into his fist then sank down onto Arthur's cock with a sigh.

It seemed that Arthur's head was still buzzing with the afterglow and he was just as boneless as Merlin, but was far too lazy to move at all so he sat with Merlin perched on him until his legs started to go numb. "Geroff," he finally grumbled and gave Merlin a push.

"Prat," Merlin complained as he extricated himself then curled on the mattress.

After a few more minutes of lazing, Arthur felt for the plug and tossed it back at Merlin. He watched with subdued interest as Merlin inserted it without complaint or speculation, effectively stoppering Arthur's come inside of him before rolling onto his side. Arthur saw the ruffled knickers poking from under Merlin's torso and he tugged them free, balling them in his hand and raising them to his face without a second thought.

"Never would have pegged you for such a deviant," Merlin said with a slow grin.

"Fuck off, you like it." Arthur flopped down beside Merlin, side and pushed the knickers into his chest.

"Did you want me to do something with these?"

"Put them back on, tosser." Arthur rolled his eyes.

"But these are girl's knickers!" Merlin said, pretending to be horrified. "Arthur, I am not a girl..."

"You are if I say so." Arthur smirked.

Lifting his legs into the air, Merlin donned and shimmied his way into the lacy scrap without getting off the bed.

Arthur stroked his chin for a moment then nudged Merlin with his foot. "I'm thinking...dinner, drinks, and maybe The Club?"

Merlin laughed and shrugged. "It's your dime, but don't you have homework to do?"

"Fuck it," Arthur said with a grin. "I don't want to do anything, and it's your fault."

"Oh shit." Merlin pushed up on his elbows. "Should I pack a paddle?"

Arthur lifted an eyebrow in response. "Best to bring the whole bag."

***

Merlin was sitting across from Arthur, looking wonderfully composed and almost innocent as he pushed his beef Wellington around his plate, but Arthur knew that beneath Merlin's perfectly pedestrian clothing, he was still tarted up in Marguerite's underclothes and plugged full of come.

Arthur's brain was on overdrive as he demanded that it keep him as a functioning member of society and not a slobbering caveman. He sometimes wondered if the joke was on him: if he were the slave and Merlin the master, because thoughts of Merlin, what he might be doing, or wearing, or thinking were starting to dominate his free time.

Arthur had a forkful of his potato pavé halfway to his mouth when Merlin contorted strangely. He was concerned for a moment until he saw Merlin had dug his phone out of his trousers. "No phones while we're eating," he said, sounding strangely like his father and feeling at least as perturbed by that as he was at Merlin's rudeness.

"There are only two people who call me, you and my mum..." Merlin glanced at his phone and nodded in confirmation. "It's my mum."

Arthur lifted a brow. "I said no, Merlin. Don't you listen?"

"It could be an emergency. She almost never rings me." Merlin narrowed his eyes at Arthur and pressed the button to receive the call.

Arthur reached over and snatched the phone before Merlin could get it to one of his ears, enjoying Merlin's look of indignant outrage as he brought it to his own. "Merlin's phone..."

"Well, this is new..." an amused woman's voice laughed in Arthur's ear.

"Could you kindly tell me whether or not this is an emergency?" Arthur said, nodding at Merlin who was leaning over the table with an outstretched arm. Arthur put his hand over the speaker and whispered, "Sit down! Don't get your knickers in a twist."

"An emergency? Why would there be an emergency? Is there an emergency? Is Merlin there?"

"Yes Ma'am, Merlin is here," Arthur politely replied, reclining in his chair to put another metre between himself and Merlin's hand which kept flapping in a rather unbecoming and demanding fashion, closer and closer to his nose. "We're having a bite in a rather decent place and I did ask him to refrain from taking calls but he seemed quite concerned."

"Ah," Merlin's mother said. "Well, he's always been a lovely boy....I'm sorry, who is this and how did you end up taking the call instead?"

"I'm Arthur..." he replied, deliberately ignoring the second question because he hadn't thought that far ahead when he'd taken Merlin's phone.

Merlin's mother seemed to catch the trailing ellipse and said, "Oh. Oh! You're not...Merlin's boss, are you?"

Arthur shifted in his seat, quirking a brow at Merlin and wondering, for once, just what sort of things he told his mother about his lifestyle. Arthur and his father shared certain proclivities and Arthur was still loathe to have any sort of discussion on the matter, the few times his father had brought it up. "I like to think we're friends," he replied carefully, watching as Merlin's face purpled.

"Give me my phone back you prat or I swear to God, I'll —" Merlin yelped then quieted as Arthur kicked him under the table.

"Friends, really?" Merlin's mother seemed to brighten, completely unaware of what was going on on Arthur's end. "You could pop over for pudding when you're finished...if you like. I've got a trifle in the fridge that needs eating."

"Oh, really? That sounds lovely. I think we will, thanks." Arthur grinned at Merlin and held up his finger to show that it would just be another moment. "In about an hour?"

"That's perfect. See you then, Arthur."

"Yes, ta-ta." Arthur looked at Merlin's screen, poking it to end the call and handed the phone back to him. Merlin had a horrified look on his face and Arthur laughed at him. "What?"

" _In about an hour!?_ " Merlin parroted in a shrill whisper. "Tell me you did not just —"

"Pudding at your mum's. Make sure you save room." Arthur sipped his Burgundy and watched as Merlin promptly fell apart.

"What? No! Nonononononono."

"Yes, she's expecting us," Arthur said calmly.

Merlin covered his face with his hands, blurting, "Yellow, no! Red! Red, damn it."

Arthur's stomach dropped and he almost lost his grip on his glass. "Did you just say 'red'?"

Merlin nodded emphatically.

"You can't..." Arthur wracked his brain for words. "You can't _safeword_ on life, Merlin."

"I can and I did!" Merlin dropped his hands and glared at Arthur. "You don't pay me to be involved in my personal affairs. I give you everything else, I'm not taking you home to meet my mum! Just...no!"

"Is this about money?" Arthur lifted his eyebrow again. "Because I've really got more than I know what to do with..."

"Bully for you!" Merlin argued, "And no! It's not about money! It's about some things being sacred and this is one of them!"

"It's just pudding, calm down."

"It is not just pudding! I am wearing a fucking buttplug and frilly knickers and stockings!" Merlin hissed. "I am not going to sit in my mother's kitchen and be demeaned like that. She doesn't need to see this side of me!"

Arthur hadn't thought of it that way. He hadn't stopped to think for one second that Merlin was playing a role for him or that he was possibly ashamed of himself. After all, Merlin always seemed so confident and self assured. What disturbed him however, was that he thought Arthur was out to belittle and shame him. "Do I demean you?"

"I— what?" Merlin was looking more distressed by the minute.

"Do I demean you, Merlin? Do my actions toward you strip you of your self worth? Because while that might have been my father's intention, it certainly isn't mine," Arthur said. "To be honest, for a moment, I'd almost forgotten you had all that on, underneath...I just...I've known you for so long, I feel like, and your mum invited me and I thought maybe she'd tell a few stories about you as an awkward and gangly child and we'd have a laugh about it..."

"An awkward and gangly child?" Merlin looked affronted and Arthur found it amusing that in the midst of all this, that was what he was most offended by. "What makes you think I was an awkward and gangly child?"

"You're awkward and gangly now." Arthur gestured with his fork as he picked it back up. Before Merlin could complain, he added, "It's part of your charm."

"My charm?" Merlin repeatedly dumbly.

Arthur sighed and laid his fork down again. "Look Merlin, you don't want to go, we won't go. I'm not trying to start an argument with you."

"Just like that? We won't go?" Merlin looked dubiously at Arthur.

"Well, yeah. You did safeword. I was just trying to understand why. But your reasons are valid, I guess..."

"You guess?" Merlin frowned and interrupted.

"No, they are. They're your reasons. Look, just call her back and tell her we can't make it. Or I will. Here..." he held out his hand.

Merlin caught Arthur's eyes _searching_ for what seemed like forever. Arthur widened his eyes and let Merlin look as long as he needed, hoping that his sincerity shone through.

Finally, Merlin's eyes flicked down and he pocketed the phone. "We'll go," he said softly.

"Merlin..." Arthur started, but wasn't sure what else there was to say. "We don't have to..."

"It's okay," Merlin said with a shaky breath. "I...trust you."

Not for the first time, Arthur had the feeling that, just maybe, this was more than just a game for the both of them. He nodded carefully because he sensed this was not a gift given lightly with Merlin, and reaching across the table, he touched his fingertips to Merlin's knuckles. "Thank you."

Merlin shrugged and picked at his food, uncharacteristically subdued for the remainder of the meal. He asked for his leftovers, which Arthur thought was strange and on their way out of the restaurant, he stepped to the curb as though to hail a cab.

"I drove..." Arthur reminded Merlin with a jingle of his keys.

Merlin gave him an unreadable look. "Your car will be stripped or stolen in a matter of minutes in my mother's neighbourhood. I suggest we take a cab."

Arthur scoffed. "I'm sure you're exaggerating..."

"Hackney. My mother lives in Hackney," Merlin's face darkened.

Arthur's eyes widened in surprise and he waved his arm in the street. "Cabbie it is!"

Merlin was quiet in the cab, and Arthur was certain that he had never seen him so broody. He was beginning to think this visit was a bad idea, but it was too late to turn back now.

When the cab pulled up in front of a convenience store, Arthur was confused. "Does your mum live up top?" He gestured to the apartment over the storefront.

"No," Merlin said, paying the driver before getting out. He held the door open for Arthur, then followed him into the store. "We'll have to pick something up if you want pudding."

"Oh! Your mum said she had a trifle that needed eating..." Arthur said, following Merlin down one of the aisles.

Merlin snorted. "There's no trifle."

"How do you know?"

"Because..." Merlin stopped in front of a shelf full of boxed cakes and eyed them suspiciously, lifting one and looking on the underside. "Mum never has any food, for one. And two, that's an inside joke."

"How is it even a joke?" Arthur rolled his eyes, grabbing another boxed cake and mimicking Merlin. "What am I looking for?"

Merlin glanced at Arthur's cake and rolled his eyes. "Perfect distribution of crumb topping and an expiration date that's not past due. And it is a joke. Once, my mother really did make a trifle, and Will and I found it and like, devoured the entire thing before she got home from work. And she went off her nut. And all Will could think to say was that it looked like it needed eating.”

"Oh." Arthur frowned and discarded his cake only to lift and examine another. "S'not really that funny, is it? And who's Will?"

"Nobody," Merlin said, snatching the cake from Arthur's hand and glancing underneath it.

"Old boyfriend, then?" Arthur ventured.

"Don't want to talk about it..." Merlin quipped, moving briskly away from Arthur and down another aisle.

"He dumped you," Arthur surmised and Merlin's entire stance went rigid for a moment.

Then it was as if Merlin forced himself to relax and he reached for a bag of crisps. "Yeah. He did. Now leave it."

For a few minutes, Arthur wandered in silence behind Merlin, wondering about this Will-character and why Merlin seemed so loathe to talk about him when any other time he could barely get him to shut up. "Is your mother hosting a party?" Arthur cocked his head as Merlin picked up a tin of shortbread biscuits, the crisps, some crackers, a package of cheese, and a couple pints of milk, then piled them onto the counter beside the cashier.

"Never know what she's in the mood for..." Merlin said, reaching into his pocket.

Arthur nudged Merlin aside and handed a few notes to the cashier, giving Merlin a sidelong look. "You shouldn't have paid for the cab. I've got this." Instead of the nod of thanks he'd expected, Merlin goggled at him then snatched Arthur's wallet, folding it and stuffing it into the inner pocket of the blazer he was wearing.

"Are you fucking daft?" he hissed, grabbing Arthur's change and the groceries as he shoved him toward the door. "You can't just go flipping that kind of cash around like that...we're going to get mugged!" He pushed one of the bags into Arthur's hand then took him by the elbow as he walked along at a clipped pace.

After a few minutes of being rushed up the block, Merlin glanced over his shoulder. Out of curiosity, Arthur started to follow suit but Merlin only tugged him harder, saying under his breath, "Don't look, keep walking."

"How can I not look?" Arthur whispered frantically back though somehow managing to refrain from turning his head. "It's only fucking money, and I'm not particularly attached to this wallet, I'll just give them the whole thing."

"It's not going to come to that." Merlin assured him. "Now shut it, because I need a moment to....think."

Arthur glanced in askance and saw that Merlin's eyes were closed and he was taking deep breaths even as he continued his clipped pace forward.

"You go ahead and I'll take care of this," Merlin said, slitting his eyes open.

Snorting, Arthur shook his head. "Are you mad? You? If anything, you should go on and let me—"

"Oh, that's rich, Arthur. I'll come back to find you bleeding in the street and then where will we be?"

"How much farther is it?"

"Two blocks. Could you please shut it for just a minute?" Merlin said in a strained voice. In his peripheral vision, Arthur saw Merlin's eyes closing tightly and his body tensed strangely. He wondered if it was some quirky response to compounding stress but then Merlin suddenly exhaled and stumbled against Arthur for a moment. Then, he quickly righted himself. "We could just leg it..." Arthur suggested, though he was beginning to think if they were going to be mugged, it would have happened by now.

Merlin looked behind them again and sighed. "No, we're good. Sorry, must be paranoid."

Arthur looked behind them and there was a man about half a block away, but he appeared to be scratching and shaking his head in confusion as he patted his own pockets down. Turning back, Arthur grinned and shoved Merlin sideways. "Berk. You were taking the piss the whole time, weren't you?"

Merlin fishmouthed for a moment before smiling back. "Sure. Yeah, the whole time. And you were bricking it! Should have seen your face!"

"Arsehole," Arthur muttered fondly and pinching the fabric of Merlin's coat, tugged him closer again. "I'm going to punish you for that!"

Merlin bumped his shoulder against Arthur's then carefully stepped away. "Not at my mum's though. At my mum's, we're just friends."

Arthur swallowed the funny lump that suddenly cropped up in the back of his throat and nodded solemnly. "Of course."

It wasn't long before they arrived at Merlin's mum's and she buzzed them up. Merlin took the stairs slowly, cursing Arthur every time they reached a landing while he shimmied and readjusted himself. "You owe me, Pendragon, you owe me big time..."

All Arthur could do was laugh and promise him there'd be something big waiting for him back home , at which Merlin resolutely shushed him before pushing him into the wall.

Arthur could see Merlin's mother's eyes peeking through the cracked door as they reached the top of the stairs. Merlin beckoned him closer, hugging his mother as she received them in her doorway. Arthur was the recipient of a hug that was at least as warm if not as long as Merlin's.

"Mum, Arthur. Arthur, my mum." Merlin provided hasty introductions and snagged the bag with the milk from Arthur's hand.

"Arthur! It's so wonderful to meet you...I'm Hunith, but you can call me Mum too, if you want," she said, holding Arthur at arm’s length, apparently assessing him before nodding perfunctorily.

"Mum!" Merlin protested, flushing. "He doesn't even know you, he's not going to call you 'Mum' either!"

"Well, he can if he likes, that's all I'm saying," Hunith said, tucking her arm through Arthur's after bolting the door. "And why wouldn't he? All of your other friends did..."

"All two of them?" Merlin snorted, putting his leftovers as well as the milk and cheese in the refrigerator and leaving the nibbles on the countertop before breezing past them. "I need the bog. Don't harass him while I'm gone."

Hunith waved him off and looked up at Arthur with a smile. "I'm so glad you picked up a few things on the way...after I'd hung up, I realised that trifle had spoiled. Can you imagine my embarrassment?" She fluttered her hand at her throat for a moment, then smiled again. "Here, I'll just put the tea on and give you the tour, shall I?"

The tour wasn't much more than turning in a circle and pointing to various areas denoted by their associated furniture and Arthur found himself thinking that a good two thirds of Hunith's place would fit in his bedroom back home. Morgana's shoe closet was probably the size of Hunith's bedroom and their dining room table was bigger than the entirety of Hunith's kitchen. Despite the size of the place, it was clean and had a warm, lived in feel, with charming knickknacks scattered throughout. Back in the kitchen, Arthur found himself making small talk and looking at pictures pinned to the fridge with magnets that looked like various farm animals. Two cuddly piglets held in place a photo that caught Arthur's eye and he fingered the edge gently as he looked at it.

Merlin was younger in this one by several years at least, his cheekbones sharp and his face thinner than it was now. Eyes slitted, Merlin's face was lit with a blinding grin that appeared to be a still shot of raucous laughter. Beside him was a rather plain looking lad whose shaggy haircut did no favors to his square, simple face, though his wide smile did brighten him some. The lad's eyes were fixed on Merlin in obvious adoration and his fingers curled around Merlin's forearm in a familiar manner.

Behind Arthur, he heard a door open and shut, and then Merlin was behind him. "Less than ten minutes in and you've already been sent to the naughty corner?" Merlin's laugh cut short and was replaced by a sigh. "Don't tell me you've found the pictures..."

Arthur looked over his shoulder and tapped the photo with his finger. "This is him, isn't it?"

"Who?" Merlin asked, using his teeth to tear the plastic off of the tinned biscuits. 

"The shithead who dumped you. Will, or whoever."

The tin clattered noisily to the floor and Arthur turned as Hunith said, "Oh, Merlin!"

Merlin stared down at the biscuits spilling across the floor, then squatted, picking them up and piling them into one hand. [ah]

"Here, Merlin, let me..." Hunith offered and crouched beside him but Merlin shook his head.

"No!" Merlin said, sounding completely distraught and shifting so that his back was to her. "I'll clean it."

Hunith stood with a sigh of her own and brushed her palms off on her skirt. Reaching past Arthur, she thumbed the photograph and shook her head, lips pressing into a thin line for just a moment.

Arthur looked between them in confusion. "What just happened? Who is that?"

"That's Will," Hunith said softly and Merlin made a strangled sound in his throat and then hung his head.

"Merlin's ex?" Arthur asked again.

The kettle began to whistle and Hunith turned off the burner. "Is that what he told you?"

"Sort of."

"Merlin...." Hunith closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them again, plucked a handful of teabags from a tin and dunked them into the teapot, then poured the water over them. "Will was Merlin's best friend and kindred spirit..."

"Mum!" Merlin protested.

Hunith put her hand on Merlin's head and stroked his hair softly. "You're not the only one who lost him, Merlin...now come on, up off the floor. Tea's just about ready."

Arthur extended his hand to Merlin and hauled him to his feet. Merlin discarded the biscuits then promptly and dramatically dropped into the nearest chair. He leaned forward and folded his arms over his head on the table.

Arthur retrieved the half spilled tin and the lid from the floor and stood there awkwardly until Hunith took them from him and pushed him toward the table where he sat and watched as she took a broom from the corner and swept up the crumbs.

"Will was like a second son to me and he and Merlin had always been thick as thieves, like brothers, I thought, until they were more than that." Hunith held the dustpan with her foot and corralled the crumbs into it before dumping them swiftly into the bin under the sink. She rinsed her hands in the sink, lingering with the towel as she dried them. "I remember the day we got the call..."

Merlin grumbled something unintelligibly but Hunith simply poured the tea and placed the mugs and went on with her tale, her hand coming to rest on the nape of Merlin's neck comfortingly. "Bridget— that's Will's mother, called. Lord, she was a right mess and who could blame her? There had been a terrible accident with a lorry and..." Hunith paused, dabbing her eyes with her shirt sleeve. "Will was gone. My heart was broken in three places but Merlin....well, it's been all of six years, and you can see, he's still just crushed."

"I'm sorry, I had no idea," Arthur stammered, glancing down at Merlin, who remained motionless.

"It's not something he likes to talk about," Hunith said unnecessarily before they lapsed into a long silence, the two of them sipping their tea and Merlin...whatever it was that he was doing.

Finally, Hunith patted Merlin's back then turned, opening a drawer and pulling out a worn deck of cards. "Well, that's a heavy enough story for your first visit. Do you fancy a game?"

"Sure!" What else could Arthur say? Anything to make a happy escape from this depressing turnabout.

Hunith slid into her seat and began shuffling. "Brag? Whist? Cribbage? Rummy?"

Arthur was familiar with the names, but none of the rules of each of those games. "Uh....Pontoon?" He said hopefully.

Hunith tipped her head and gave him a pointed look. "We don't gamble with anything but fate in this house. Here, shove over Merlin and show your _friend_ how to play rummy." Merlin lifted his head and gave his mother a long look but ultimately scraped closer to Arthur, who touched the small of his back in brief apology.

"My dad was a gambler..." Merlin started.

Hunith cut him off with a reproving look. "We do not speak of it, either."

"Well if you can share my secrets—" Merlin said, rubbing his thumb against the smooth, dull sheen of the tabletop.

"Here, cut the deck." Hunith slapped the cards in front of Merlin and he startled but halved it and said no more as his mother began to deal.

"So, Arthur," Hunith said brightly. "How is it that you've come to the ripe old age of...?"

"Eighteen." Arthur supplied.

"Eighteen?" Hunith's eyebrows went up slightly and she smiled into her tea cup. "Dear me, eighteen...without learning the fine game of rummy?"

"He hasn't got a mother to pester him," Merlin said miserably. "And his father's Uther bloody Pendragon of Pendragon Enterprise. You don't imagine them sitting around the dinner table playing 'happy familes' now, do you?"

"Merlin!" Arthur exclaimed and kicked at him under the table again.

"Well, now, that we've all heard everyone's secrets..." Hunith picked up her cards and began arranging them in her hand. "I'm sorry to hear about your mother though, dear. It wasn't recent, was it?"

"When I was four," Arthur said automatically as he rifled through his cards. "What am I doing here, Merlin?"

"You've played poker?" Merlin asked, intently rearranging his own hand.

"We have had poker night with the lads in our flat, at least twice," Arthur prompted.

Merlin shrugged. "Then you'll pick it up easy enough."

"Merlin!" Hunith sighed in exasperation and Merlin rolled his eyes then leaned closer, peering at Arthur's cards and murmuring cryptic advice.

Merlin had been right though, rummy was similar to poker and Arthur did pick it up rather quickly. They played several hands in succession as they made their way through half of the cake and the entire pot of tea. Hunith kept up the conversation, filling in for Merlin who remained quiet, though he grew somewhat less sullen as the night wore on.

When Hunith hid her third yawn behind her hand, Merlin laid his cards down. "You're working tomorrow?"

She nodded and smiled wearily.

"We were headed to the pub anyway," Merlin said, taking a brief hiatus to call a cab company. When he returned, he plucked Arthur's cards from his hand and began corralling the deck into a neat stack, accepting his mother’s and adding them to the top. "Oh, and before I forget, do you have the hoodie I left here last visit?"

Hunith frowned. "I don't think so..."

"Can you just check your laundry bin? I've been missing it," Merlin replied, standing and stretching before he replaced the deck of cards in the drawer.

As Hunith wandered into her bedroom, Merlin scurried to the cabinet over the cooker and pulled down a tea tin, hurriedly cramming the wad of cash from his pocket inside. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing. Get out of that tin, Merlin!"

"Don't know what you're talking about..." Merlin called as he replaced everything. "Arthur fancied some biscuits!"

Folding her arms over her bosom, Hunith mock-glared at Merlin as she returned to the kitchen.

"It's true!" Merlin passed the tin across to Arthur, staring at him intently until Arthur felt compelled to reach over and take one. He held it up in silent cheers, and hoped that his smile conveyed how much he wanted to strangle Merlin.

"Arthur doesn't seem particularly inclined to eat biscuits that have been on the floor, Merlin," Hunith said, barely containing a smile as her eyes met Arthur's.

"Don't let him fool you," Merlin pandered. "He may be poshballs, but he's got absolutely no qualms about floor-biscuits. In fact, he likes them. His whole family's got strange notions about food that's touched the floor- thinks it's good for the immune system. I like to attribute it to wealthy eccentricity... Don't let us stop you, Arthur. Have your biscuit!"

"Yes, do," Hunith echoed.

Arthur, feeling suddenly very under pressure, put the biscuit in his mouth and chewed, making an effort to smile around it. "Mmmm!"

Hunith laughed and clapped him on the back and even Merlin's eyes twinkled in malicious delight. "You're a keeper alright, if you were willing to do that!" Then, she pulled Arthur's head toward her and planted a kiss on the crown of his head. "Take good care of my boy, Arthur Pendragon."

"Er, I will." He took that as his cue and got up awkwardly.

"You're welcome again anytime and I promise we won't start off on such a depressing foot next time..." Hunith dusted crumbs off of Arthur's shirt before hugging him.

"Sure, alright."

"And I'm sorry Merlin's been in such a strop. Doesn't make it easy on you I'm sure. Don't let him drink too much now...."

"I won't," Arthur promised solemnly. "But if he does, I'll be sure to put him to bed."

"There's a good boy." Hunith turned to Merlin and pulled him into an embrace, giving him a sloppy kiss on the cheek. "And you! You need to learn to open up to people other than me. Your mate, Arthur, for example, seems like a good listener."

"Mum!" Merlin flustered her away as his face turned red.

"Mum, mum, mum!" Hunith rolled her eyes and reached out to grab Merlin's chin. She gave it a shake before patting his cheek fondly. "You're a good boy too, Merlin. Love you."

They wrapped up their farewells and Merlin all but dragged Arthur from the flat and down the stairs. The cabbie had just pulled up and Merlin wasted no time in climbing into the back seat and directing the cabbie back to the restaurant. He crammed himself against the door and looked out the window so Arthur played with his phone until the car pulled up.

"I'm out of cash," Merlin reminded Arthur as he climbed out.

"Fine," Arthur said and pulled his wallet out and waved it around. "This okay here or are we going to get mugged again?"

Merlin flipped two fingers at him before strolling to the passenger side and waiting for Arthur to unlock it. As soon as he did, Merlin slid in and buckled his seatbelt. "The pub, then?" Arthur asked as he climbed in.

"No, I only said that to get out of there. I don't really feel like drinking," Merlin said.

"I wish you would," Arthur said under his breath.

"What the bloody fuck is that supposed to mean?" Merlin demanded as Arthur put the car in gear and pulled out onto the street.

"It means you've been a prat for the better half of the night and maybe a drink or four would help you chill out!" Arthur glanced at him.

"I've been a prat?" Merlin glared. "You made the impromptu date with my mum, you nearly got us mugged, you called my dead boyfriend a shithead..."

"Yes, and you've been acting like a fucking girl about it all night!" Arthur scowled.

"Maybe that's because I'm in knickers and stockings!" Merlin all but shouted.

"Oh no, you don't get to blame me for that. You're the one who tarted yourself up before I even got back from class today..." Ahead, Arthur could see the block of luxury flats and he accelerated. When they'd gone out that evening, it had been with the intention of going to The Club after dinner but now he was glad they were so close to home.

"And you bloody liked it, don't act like you didn't!" Merlin hissed.

"Of course I liked it!" Arthur said, slamming on his breaks and nearly rear ending the car in front of him. Taking advantage of being stopped, Arthur looked at Merlin. "I like everything bloody thing you do, idiot...except acting like a prat. I don't like that, so cut it out."

"So now I'm not allowed to have feelings?" Merlin asked, folding his arms over his chest. "I don't know why I'm surprised. Your father didn't want to treat me like a person either."

"What the fucking fuck? Really? Did I say that? Have I ever said that?" Traffic moved forward slowly and Arthur pulled over part of the curb just to get into the parking lot of the flats. "Feel whatever you want, but don't act like a baby about it. You could just, you know, fucking talk to me like an adult." He had his seatbelt off before the car was even parked and was out of the car a second after he'd switched it off.

"Oh, that is rich, isn't it?" Merlin clambered out of the car, getting tangled in his seatbelt and Arthur almost wanted to laugh at him. "You're such an adult, Arthur. You're eighteen and you made it through a whole term of living on campus before moving in with three of your rich best friends in a luxury flat. You don't do any shopping, cleaning or cooking and you pay for sex. Very mature."

Arthur scoffed as he held the door for Merlin. "Because whoring yourself out to the upper class is the epitome of maturity."

"Fuck you." Merlin jammed his finger into the button for the lift. The door opened straightway and he stepped in, pressing the button to close the doors.

Arthur had to stick his arm in to stop the lift from leaving without him and glared at Merlin as he got on. "I will, if you want. All you have to do is ask. You don't have to bait me—"

"Oh, did I say fuck you? I meant fuck off." When the doors opened, Merlin stormed off the lift, fiddling for his keys in his coat pockets. Arthur leaned past him and slid his house key smoothly into the lock, twisting the knob and sending the door flying open, only to have Merlin push past him into the darkness. At least, Arthur thought, they were alone. Merlin tore his coat off and threw it in the vicinity of the coat-tree before heading down the hallway.

Arthur followed Merlin into the bathroom, standing in the doorway as Merlin stripped off his shirt and his trousers. "What are you doing?" Arthur sighed.

"What does it look like?" Merlin snapped, bending over and shoving the knickers down. "I'm taking a bloody shower so I can go the fuck to bed."

Arthur felt the muscles in his cheek twitch as he clenched his jaw. Merlin was not just going to call it quits before they sorted things out. Arthur wanted to get to the bottom of this, namely so that they could avoid this sort of thing in the future. He said the only thing he could think of to get Merlin's attention. "Like hell you are. Did I say you could?"

Merlin froze with one foot on the toilet lid, his stocking rolled down to his calf. After a moment, he slowly raised his head. If looks could kill, Arthur was pretty sure he'd be dead. "Arthur...I'm really not in the mood for this shit right now. Tell me I can take it off...."

Arthur crossed his arms over his chest and simply looked at Merlin.

"Tell me, you arrogant bastard!"

Arthur swallowed the bad taste in his mouth and peeled himself away from the doorframe. "Take everything off and get in the shower," he said coldly. "And when you're done, get your arse in the bedroom, because I'm not finished with you."

"Sir," Merlin said through clenched teeth and yanked the rest of his stocking off.

Arthur didn't stay to watch the rest. As he went down the hall to the credenza which doubled as their liquor cabinet, the lights he'd turned on along the way flickered and dimmed before returning to capacity. He glanced around, then out of the window into the street and seeing nothing alarming, returned to the task of pouring himself a single measure of Scotch. On returning to his room, he kicked his shoes off and threw his blazer over the chair and then sat in it, swirling his Scotch the way his own father had done hundreds of times before. Instead of drinking it however, he just inhaled the aroma and after the tiniest sip, held the tumbler to his temple.

Arthur replayed the nights events in his head, seeing now that everything had derailed at dinner and gone up in flames shortly after. It was clear that Arthur only had himself to blame and while Merlin was overreacting, he was, as they had established, entitled to his feelings.

Forty-five minutes later, Merlin finally turned off the shower and with the towel cinched around his waist, padded into the bedroom, his head down. His skin was bright pink all over, as though he had spent the better part of an hour trying to flay his skin off beneath water at the highest temperature setting. He went to the bureau and dug out a worn t-shirt and flannel pyjama bottoms.

"Why didn't you tell me about Will?" Arthur asked softly.

Merlin dragged his shirt on and shrugged without looking at Arthur. "It never really came up in conversation."

"Until it did...and you lied to me."

"What the fuck was I supposed to say, Arthur? I'm still in love with my dead boyfriend after six years? [aq] Because that wasn't a brilliant fucking can of worms to open in front of my mum. Thanks for that, by the way."

"If you'd just said in the first place—" Arthur argued.

Merlin whirled on him. "I don't owe you anything! Not visits with my family, not stories of my youth, and especially not explanations about my former love life! You are a punter, Arthur, and I am just a whore!"

"Don't say that..." Arthur sighed, shoving the Scotch aside as he got up.

"You said it," Merlin whispered, clutching his pyjama bottoms to his chest for a brief moment before turning away.

"But I didn't mean it. You're mo—"

Merlin, who had both feet in the legs of his bottoms, jerked them up and interrupted Arthur again. "Why are you doing this?"

"What?" Arthur frowned in confusion. "Talking to you? Jesus, Merlin, I'm trying to _help_!" Stepping forward, he seized Merlin's wrist, trying to make Merlin look at him.

Attempting to recoil, Merlin glared. "I don't want your help. I don't need it. Just like I don't need your pity or your disdain. Hell, I don't even need your money. I don't need you for anything!"

Arthur shook Merlin angrily before releasing him. "No one's forcing you to stay here. Feel free to leave at any time."

" _Consider this your two weeks notice, feel free to shove off sooner_..." came Merlin's agonized whisper. He slammed his fist on top of the bureau, face falling as he choked back a sob.

"No!" Arthur said, horrified to realise Merlin thought he was being kicked out. He spun around, trying to pull Merlin into his arms.

Merlin shoved Arthur away from him. "Just leave me alone!" he said, tears welling up in his eyes and spilling over onto his cheeks.

Arthur rushed Merlin as he started to crumple to the floor. An anguished sound escaped Merlin as he tried and failed to contain himself. Arthur coiled his arms around Merlin, sinking to his knees with him and holding him tightly against his chest.

"Leave me alone, please!" Merlin's voice was a high and tight whine and he pushed ineffectually at Arthur again.

"I can't." Arthur pressed a kiss to Merlin's wet cheek and Merlin dissolved into sobs that wracked his whole body. Arthur didn't know what else to do but hold Merlin and kiss him over and over until he was finished crying, his hitching breaths blowing hotly across Arthur's neck and his fingers curling and unfurling in Arthur's shirt.

Merlin didn't protest when Arthur stood, pulling Merlin with him and wrangling him into bed. He went much more quietly than Gwaine ever had [au] , but then, Merlin wasn't drunk and no longer belligerent, so there was no reason for him not to. When Arthur stripped and slid in beside him, Merlin rolled, throwing his arm across Arthur's chest and using his shoulder for a pillow.

"Alright?" Arthur whispered and felt Merlin's answering nod.

Long after Merlin had slipped into an exhausted sleep, Arthur laid awake, mulling things over. Whatever this was between them, clearly, was no longer a game.


	6. Chapter 6

Somewhere, Arthur's mobile was ringing but Merlin was snuggled warmly against him, and his eyes still felt heavy and tired from crying, however many hours ago. He was disoriented and groggily reached over Arthur, patting for the mobile, but it was too far away. Merlin sighed when the ringing stopped and he thought that he might be able to go back to sleep now that the call had gone to voicemail. 

 

Merlin was still confused by the previous night's events, but he didn't want to think too much on it now, or he'd never fall back asleep. Instead, Merlin burrowed into Arthur's side, focusing on the feeling of comfort that accompanied Arthur's arms around him. After a minute, the damned phone started ringing again. Arthur rolled away from Merlin and for a second, he thought there was a chance that Arthur might answer it himself, though he soon found out otherwise.

 

"Merlin! Answer the bloody phone," Arthur snapped and kicked at him, apparently having forgotten that just the night before, he'd been struggling to pull Merlin into his arms.

 

Merlin sighed and leaned across Arthur, pulling the cell off of the charging pad on Arthur's bedside table and grumbled into it sleepily, "Arthur Pendragon's phone...uh...Arthur, what's my official title again?"

 

"Personal Assistant," Arthur mumbled into his pillow.

 

"Arthur's personal assistant," Merlin repeated. "Who's calling?”

 

“Since when does Arthur have a bloody personal assistant? At two in the morning? Oh my God, he’s fucking you, isn’t he?” Morgana reasoned aloud. “For God’s sake, I didn’t even know he was into blokes...Tell him it’s his sister, Morgana and it’s urgent.”

 

“Uhhhh...” Merlin pressed the mobile against his chest. “Arthur, it's Morgana. Says it’s urgent, wants to talk to you."

 

Arthur waved his hand dismissively. "Everything with Morgana is urgent. Tell her to call back when the sun has been up for a couple of hours."

 

"He says...” Merlin began but Morgana had already heard him.

 

“That selfish twat! You put him on the phone this instant!”

 

“I'm trying to tell....” Merlin argued.

 

“Now!” she barked.

 

“Mor -...”

 

Morgana growled. “I don’t know who you are or what you think you stand to gain by giving me a hard time, but I am telling you right now, if you don’t put Arthur on the line this instant, I will reach through the phone and rip your testicles out through your throat.”

 

“For Christ's sake...alright!" Merlin leaned back over Arthur, settling the phone onto Arthur's ear. "Sorry, she's very persistent. And mean, I might add."

 

"What the bloody fuck, Morgana? I am trying to sleep," Arthur snarled. There was a pause and Merlin could hear Morgana’s angry tone, though not her words. As Arthur winced, Merlin moved the phone away from his ear a bit.

 

"He's what?!" Arthur snatched the phone away from Merlin and floundered in the bed clothes before he was able to sit up. "What happened?"

 

Concerned and curious, Merlin propped himself up on an elbow as Arthur rolled out of bed and shovelled his hand through his hair.

 

"But I mean, he's going to be alright?" Arthur demanded. In the dark, Merlin couldn’t see Arthur’s expression, though he watched as Arthur made his way to his bureau and began aimlessly opening and closing the drawers. "Okay. Alright. I'll be there....I just said I would. Alright! See you soon.”

 

Merlin could feel Arthur's anxiety radiating off of him in waves and he climbed out of bed as Arthur fumbled purposelessly before his dresser. Arthur stepped back as Merlin approached and Merlin began assembling an outfit. With the clothes draped over one arm, he knelt before Arthur, holding out his boxer shorts.

 

Arthur hissed at him, "Merlin! What are you doing?"

 

"Speeding up the process." Merlin bit back a number of unkind retorts. Now was not the time for that. Whatever was going on was so big as to have rendered Arthur useless. After he'd gotten Arthur dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved polo, Arthur crammed his mobile and car keys into his pocket and stalked through the door, leaving Merlin hurrying to dress and catch up.

 

Arthur was standing at the coat-rack, digging through piles of wool pea coats and bubbly ski-jackets looking for his own, which incidentally, was right on top. Merlin reached out and snatched it, then pulled his own jacket from the mix.

 

"What are you doing, Merlin?"

 

"Coming with," Merlin replied and helped Arthur into his coat.

 

"Stay, it's late," Arthur said, pushing him back as Merlin tried to follow Arthur toward the foyer.

 

Merlin snorted. "It's early if it's anything. Now, give me your keys." He held out his hand.

 

"What? No," Arthur protested. "You're not driving my car."

 

"You couldn't manage to dress yourself and you think you're going to drive? You're going to end up wrapped around a lamp post," Merlin pointed out helpfully. "Give me the keys, Arthur."

 

With a scowl, Arthur tore his keychain from his pocket and thrust it at Merlin whilst grumbling something about submission.

 

"Great," Merlin said, deliberately ignoring the bait and escorting Arthur out of the door, locking it behind them. "Now, would you mind telling me where we're going?"

 

"Wellington," Arthur said. Merlin gave him a blank look. "Hospital. Wellington Hospital. It's...it's my father."

 

Merlin fumbled with and nearly dropped Arthur's keys in the common hallway before the stairwell. Too many thoughts cropped up at once and Merlin couldn't stop to sort them out right now so he forced himself to shove them aside for Arthur's sake. He collected himself and asked as calmly as he could manage, "What happened? Is he going to be alright?"

 

Arthur passed him a dark, unreadable look. "Are you?"

 

"Don't be a prat," Merlin said as he laid his hand on the banister and quickly went down the steps. "I was with him for two years, so that means I'm allowed to have feelings on the matter. However, I am with you now so whatever it is that you're thinking I'm thinking is probably a morbid distortion of reality."

 

"Are you sure you signed up for the cellular biology degree and not psychology? Because it seems like you're pretty well-versed in bullshit," Arthur snapped, passing Merlin on the stairs and flicking his hand in acknowledgment at the night doorman who was already holding open the door.

 

"Thanks Wally," Merlin said, laying his hand briefly on the man's forearm as he passed through. "For fuck's sake Arthur, will you calm down? You still haven't told me what's happened, but I can only assume it's bad or you wouldn't be treating me like utter shit."

 

Arthur stalked wordlessly toward the car port and Merlin hurried behind him. When they were close enough to Arthur's Aston, Merlin pressed a button on the key to auto-unlock the car but instead, the alarm started to sound. He startled and cut it off a few moments later but Arthur was looking at him like he had seven heads.

 

"You hit the panic button you moron. Are you sure you should be the one to drive?"

 

Merlin flicked two fingers at him, then carefully hit the proper button that had the locking mechanism clicking open. Arthur slid into the passenger's seat and Merlin folded himself into the driver's, then adjusted the seat back to make room for his longer legs.

 

It wasn't long before Merlin dropped the clutch and Arthur glared at him again. "Do you even have a license?" Merlin ignored him and jiggled the stick back into gear then stepped on the accelerator.

 

They were more than halfway there when Arthur shifted in his seat, canting his head toward Merlin but still not looking at him. "Morgana said they think it was a heart attack. I just don't understand. He's always been very conscious about his health."

 

"I'm not a doctor," Merlin qualified, "But these things happen. People who are very fit can still suffer heart attacks. There is a bit of a genetic component, I think."

 

"Genetic?" Arthur sounded horrified and Merlin mentally smacked himself.

 

"We should probably wait to hear what the doctor says," Merlin back-pedalled. "We don't even know for certain it was a heart attack yet." He put it into second as they went around a bend and after switched the gear again, reached for Arthur's hand and patted it. Arthur pulled his hand away only to resettle it atop Merlin's, the pad of his thumb stroking the back of Merlin's hand until Merlin needed to take it back for driving.

 

Merlin balked at the entrance of the hospital, it's sterile and sickly smell flashing Merlin directly back to the night of Will's car accident, the night he'd died. A sense of foreboding coiled icily in Merlin's gut and he hoped -for Arthur's sake- that it was a memory rather than an omen. Arthur took him by the elbow and tugged him along wordlessly and Merlin was glad for the redirection.

 

After getting directions from the lone, grumpy woman working the reception they made it to the intensive care unit. The first thing that Merlin noticed on entering the room was that Uther's natural presence was greatly diminished by the generic blue gown he wore and the tubes and leads connecting him to the machines that surrounded him. The sight was so disconcerting that it made Merlin feel physically ill and he had to direct his attention elsewhere.

 

Merlin's eyes skittered around the room, coming to rest on Mordred. He was sitting in the bedside chair, legs drawn up with his chin resting on his knees. Mordred's arms were wrapped around his shins and there was an almost vacant look in his eyes, which altogether served to make him look even younger than he really was.

 

"Thank you for staying with him, Mordred," Arthur said and Merlin could tell that Arthur was at least as disturbed as he was. "Now that I'm here, you can take off. Merlin can give you a ride home, if you need one."

 

Before Merlin could refuse to leave Arthur's side, Mordred shook his head, saying simply, "No." However, he did vacate the chair for Arthur, moving to the darkened window where he tugged on his shirt sleeves, almost self-consciously.

 

Arthur glanced at Merlin and his eyes flicked purposely toward Mordred, then the door as he lowered himself into the bedside chair. _Get him out of here_ , Arthur effectively communicated.

 

Merlin nodded and moved toward the window. "Were you there when it happened, Mordred? Did you find him?"

 

Mordred half turned and there was a haunted look on his face. Merlin instinctively reached for him and the moment his fingers curled around Mordred's shoulder, Merlin knew something was wrong. A bolt of electricity cut through Merlin and his eyelids began to flutter. Hundreds of images flashed rapidly through his mind's eye, like a Polaroid flip book.

 

He saw Uther, the playroom, Mordred stripped bare, the latex vacuum bed. Merlin saw Mordred through Uther’s eyes, horrified, scared, resistant. Uther’s hand on Mordred’s elbow, Mordred jerking away, Uther scowling and Mordred cowering. Uther fitting Mordred into the vac-bed and moving the gasket to expose Mordred’s face.

 

Uther’s finger hovering over the “on” switch. The latex molded tightly to Mordred’s calf, to his hipbones, to his fingers. Mordred’s face screwed up in agony, his silent scream. There must have been a hundred images alone of Mordred’s mouth forming the word “red”, over and over again. They scanned by faster and faster until they blurred together like a movie and Merlin could almost hear the words themselves. Red. Red!Redredredredredredredredredredred!

 

Merlin felt sick to his stomach by the time that the loop finally ended, and the next image showed Uther, scowling atop Mordred. The next was a close-up of Uther’s meaty hand and blunt, square fingers overlying Mordred’s mouth and nose. Then, Mordred’s eyes, wide with fear. Mordred’s eyes, rolled to whites. Mordred’s eyes, glinting gold. Blinding brightness. Obscuring blackness.

 

Merlin jerked his hand away and sucked in a breath as his eyes snapped open and he whispered hoarsely, “You! You were there!"

 

Mordred’s eyes narrowed and he replied pointedly, “I found him in his bedroom.”

 

Merlin wiped his face with his hand and glanced over his shoulder at Arthur, who had seemed oblivious. "Right. Of course you did. No one...no one's contesting that. Look, it's late. You've probably been here a while. Why don't you...why don't you let me take you home?"

 

"No!" Mordred all but growled, twisting away from Merlin and moving back toward Uther.

 

"Mordred..." Merlin said, willing himself calm. "It's easy to see you're upset. Anyone would be, in your circumstance. But Arthur just got here and I think he wants a few minutes alone with Uther."

 

"I can't!" Mordred was sounding more distressed by the minute. "I can't leave! My contract states that I am to make myself available at all times."

 

"I think this is a special circumstance," Arthur interjected.

 

"He's right," Merlin agreed. "There's no telling when Uther may come around. He...wouldn't expect you to stick around for days on end..." Merlin and Mordred exchanged a look that said that they both knew that to be a lie, but Merlin forged on.

 

"At least come with me to get a cuppa, something to eat," Merlin said, tentatively reaching toward Mordred again. He was certain that he didn't want to experience another one of Mordred's flashbacks. "Arthur has my number and he can get a hold of us if anything changes. It isn't any different than being in another wing of the house while Uther's home. Come on, it'll be good for you to get out of here for a bit."

 

Mordred hazarded a glance at Arthur, who flashed his mobile as if to prove Merlin was telling the truth. Shoulders slumping, Mordred visibly deflated and moved closer to him until Merlin was able to drape his arm around the boy's shoulders.

 

Arthur caught Merlin's eye and gave a nod of appreciation as Merlin steered Mordred from the suite. When they stopped at the nurses station to ask where they could get something this time of day, the nurse informed them that there was a private family waiting room that they could use.

 

Merlin thanked the nurse and turned, corralling Mordred down the hallway and into the aforementioned waiting room. It was well stocked with packaged snacks as well as a machine that would spit out hot water for tea, instant coffee, or cocoa. Mordred petulantly flung himself into the far corner of the sofa while Merlin jammed the door shut then fiddled with the electric kettle. “You want tea -they’ve Earl Grey or breakfast blend- or there’s some Sanka...Swiss Miss?” he asked, digging through a much picked over basket.

 

“Whisky?” Mordred propositioned and rubbed his face. “Fuck. Bloody buggering fuck.”

 

Merlin tore open a packet of Earl Grey and dunked the bag in the water, leaving it to brew on the counter while he went to Mordred. He eased down beside him and rubbed the back of his neck gently. “The fucking bastard deserved it, and don't try to tell yourself otherwise."

 

"Of course he bloody well deserved it," Mordred said. "But I didn't _mean_ to do it, and if that's what happens when I can't control my magic..."

 

"Maybe that's just what happens when people like us are pushed to our limits by a sadistic madman," Merlin interjected.

 

" _You_ never put Uther in the hospital," Mordred said, turning his head and delivering an accusatory glare.

 

"I also wasn't seventeen when I signed on for his abuse. I'd already had experience in the scene for a few years, I could stand up for myself by then without panicking," Merlin pointed out. "Why are you doing this, Mordred? You're too young...too innocent."

 

"I'm not." Mordred scowled and shoved Merlin's hand away. "You started even younger, with that bloke who started coming 'round after your boyfriend kicked the bucket. And then you stopped hanging out with me and I didn't have anyone else who understood!"

 

Merlin's anger flared at Mordred's callous talk of Will's death, but the hurt, childish betrayal that washed over Mordred's face at the mention of their dissolved friendship melted it away. He tried to rationalise the situation, "I am sorry if I hurt you, Mordred, but you were eleven. You couldn't have expected us to go on hanging out forever. We had hardly anything in common at that point."

 

"We had magic!" Mordred hissed through clenched teeth. "I don't even know anyone else who... I felt like a fucking freak! You stopped talking to me and then Dad married Victoria and the next thing I know, I'm going to public school with Arthur fucking Pendragon and his arsehole friends..."

 

"Mordred, I said I was sorry. Will's death...it destroyed me. And my life felt so out of control. James taught me self discipline and helped me see that through submission...through subverting my...my will, I could take back control." Merlin sighed.

 

"You think I don't see the appeal?" Mordred snapped. He climbed off of the couch and crossed to the countertop where he grabbed the mug and slurped mouthfuls of hot tea one after the other until he finished half of the beverage. Shoving the cup aside, he bent over the counter, knuckles turning white as he gripped the countertop. "He's not going to make it."

 

"You don't know that..." Merlin said.

 

"I do. I do know it. I can feel it and so can you," Mordred accused him. "He will die and I'll have been responsible. I'm a _murderer_."

 

"For fuck's sake!" Merlin hissed. "Will you shut up? No matter what you think you feel, the facts remain to be seen. And if Uther does die, you'd sooner end up in the nuthouse for insisting you'd killed him with _magic_ than you would in front of the magistrate."

 

"This is not about lawlessness! This is about me having blood on my hands!" Mordred snapped and then smashed his fist on the countertop. "Damn it, _do no harm_!" The lights flickered above them and as Merlin instinctively looked up, Mordred's teacup began to clatter toward the edge of the counter. 

 

Merlin caught the cup before it fell and shoved it back onto the countertop before reaching for Mordred, catching his shoulders and giving him a good shake. "Stop that! We're in a hospital! Have you any idea how many people _will_ die if you blow out the power?"

 

Mordred looked up at him, eyes wide, wet and scared. He clutched Merlin's arms in return. "You think I'm doing it on purpose? By the gods...help me!"

 

The problem was, Merlin didn't know how to help him. Some days, he still struggled with magical outbursts of his own. There were two things that usually did the trick for him though: the first was distraction and the second intense focus. Merlin pulled Mordred into a hug and behind him, heard the resin teacup crack and the two halves clatter apart.

 

On second thought, maybe physical contact wasn't a good idea, considering what Uther had done to him. Merlin released Mordred and nudged him toward the couch. "Sit down....uh, please? And just give me a...while I think..."

 

Mordred dropped down with his face in his hands and one of the chairs at a nearby table began to wobble on its legs.

 

"Calm down, deep breaths!" Merlin advised as his own heart began to race as he glanced around the room looking for...he wasn't sure what. On the table was a plastic tumbler with a handful of pencils in it. He snatched them all and returned to Mordred, kneeling on the floor between him and the coffee table. "Here. Look. Do this...."

 

Merlin used one hand to balance a pencil on its tip and the other to direct his magical energy at it, keeping it upright and then making it turn slowly clockwise.

 

Mordred made a face at Merlin that was part confusion and part disdain. He waved his hand toward the pile of pencils on the coffee table and at once, they stood on end. Gently, Merlin pushed them all flat again. "One at a time. And make every other one go in the opposite direction."

 

"Why?" Mordred sneered and behind them, the chair began to scrape across the floor.

 

"Focus," Merlin said and got up. He picked up the wayward chair and placed it in front of the door, then sat in it.

 

With a sigh, Mordred leaned forward and picked up one pencil, balanced it, and reached for another. By the time he had five going, the chair beneath Merlin was no longer vibrating against his bottom and by seven, the lights had stabilised.

 

After another minute, Merlin wagged his finger and a lone pencil rolled away from the others, slowly raising into the air. He coaxed it nearer to him, eyes on Mordred to see if he was paying attention. When the pencil was midway between them, Mordred glanced up and a smile played on his lips. "This old game?" He lifted his free hand and motioned as if he were pulling something. 

 

The pencil sailed toward Mordred until Merlin flicked his palm up and then, colliding with an invisible wall, then pencil crashed to a stop and plummeted toward the floor. Mordred cupped his hand then splayed his fingers and the pencil ascended once more. The tug of war continued in a similar fashion until the pencil was close enough to Merlin that he could reach out and grab it. When he did, Mordred sagged and sighed, then wiped the dewy sheen from his brow. "I'm out of practice. Spend more time trying to keep it repressed than I do actually using it."

 

Merlin nodded knowingly and with a final sweep of his hand, sent the pencils sailing back into the tumbler on the table. He replaced the chair by hand and collapsed companionably beside Mordred on the couch. Suppressing a yawn, he asked, "Aren't you tired? You've been up all night."

 

"Exhausted," Mordred admitted, and on closer inspection, Merlin could see the weariness in Mordred's eyes.

 

"Are you sure I can't take you back to—" Merlin started to offer but Mordred cut him off with a vehement shake of his head. "Coffee then?" He pulled out his phone to check the time as Mordred pulled a face. 

 

"Real coffee," Merlin clarified with a dismissive wave toward the electric kettle and sanka. "Arthur will want some."

 

"Well if Arthur will want some..." Mordred countered sarcastically as he stood.

 

Merlin ignored him because if he took the bait every time that Mordred offered it, they'd be fighting from dawn until dusk. Instead, he pulled open the door and held it for Mordred. As they passed Uther’s room, Merlin saw Arthur and Morgana with their heads together, whispering over him.

 

The cafeteria was eerily quiet and Mordred only watched with detached interest as Merlin busied himself with enough coffees and granola bars for the four of them. By the time they made it back to the lift, Mordred was visibly wilting and he was starting to think that Mordred would be better off kipping on the sofa than drinking the coffee. He let the aroma of the coffee announce their presence and Arthur was the first to turn, a grateful smile on his face.

 

As Morgana straightened, her eyes settled over Mordred and she smirked as she made her assessment. “So this is your _personal assistant_ , Arthur? I’m not quite sure what I expected. Someone more-twinky, I guess. But this...my god, he’s fucking adorable.”

 

“How do you get more twinky than Merlin?” Arthur gaped at her as Mordred flushed and coughed not-so-subtly.

 

At the same time, Merlin grinned and offered the coffee forward. "I am pretty fucking adorable, aren't I?"

 

Morgana's jaw dropped and she did a double take. “Wait, what? Did you just say _Merlin_? Hold the press, you're fucking _Merlin_?" Morgana's nose wrinkled. "Wasn't Uther fucking him?"

 

"I prefer not to think on it." Arthur scowled.

 

"How utterly vile." Morgana said and flicked her eyes at Mordred again. "That means you're either the orderly come to give Uther his sponge bath or you're the poor bloke he's been paying to do the job since...?"

 

"December," Mordred confirmed flatly.

 

"Look at you...just a baby," Morgana crooned pityingly then reached toward the tray of coffee Merlin held, her hand hovering at the last minute. "Extra milk, no sugar?"

 

Merlin nodded to the one in the top right corner, feeling supremely satisfied that he had remembered her preference despite the infrequency with which he saw her.

 

"Well, no wonder you've scooped him up..." Morgana praised Arthur and sipped her coffee. "He is a bloody good _personal assistant_ if I do say so myself...And as for that one..." she glanced between Uther and Mordred. "I always thought he was going to fuck himself into a heart attack someday, with the way they kept getting younger and younger. Try not to blame yourself, sweetie, he really had it coming."

 

Mordred paled and took several steps backward until he bumped into the rolling bedside tray. Then he turned and scurried from the room.

 

Morgana quirked a brow. "What's his problem?" But Merlin was too busy shoving the coffee at Arthur and chasing after him to respond. Mordred was half way down the stairwell when Merlin caught up to him and when Merlin grabbed Mordred's shoulder, Mordred turned and crumpled into Merlin's arms.

 

Merlin pitched forward under Mordred's sudden weight and had to sit or risk taking a header down the rest of the flight. Mordred's body shook with silent tears that he wiped away with his fingers as fast as they came. Neither of them spoke, they didn't need to. Mordred's fear and anxiety was radiating off of him in waves and there wasn't anything Merlin could do to ease it except for continuing to lend his shoulder and support. By the time he managed to coax Mordred back to the waiting room (he was still refusing to leave), it was clear that Mordred was crashing hard. He fell asleep with his head on Merlin's shoulder and Merlin eased him down onto the couch, sitting beside him with his arm around Mordred's shoulders.

 

Merlin hadn't even realised how tired he was too until Arthur's voice startled him awake.

 

"Well, isn't this cute?"

 

Merlin straightened and wiped his face with his left hand. His right arm was tingling and numb and he worked it as he pushed himself to his feet. "Shit. Arthur...what time is it?"

 

Arthur checked his watch and raised his eyebrows. "Just about overdue for lunch. Unless you had some more beauty sleep that needed catching up on..."

 

"Some arsehole made me answer his phone in the middle of the night and then dragged me all over hell's creation..." Merlin countered and rubbed his eyes. "But yeah, I could eat."

 

"Told you to stay home," Arthur gruffed, pulling Merlin toward him and curling an arm around his shoulders. He nodded at Mordred who rolled over to face the back of the sofa and slung his arms over his head. "What's his deal anyway?"

 

Merlin rolled his eyes and pushed Arthur backwards out of the room. "He's scared and he somehow thinks this is his fault."

 

"Is it?" Arthur asked simply. 

 

Merlin's mouth opened and closed. There was no simple answer to that. Instead, he fixed Arthur with a look. “Well, it was probably like Morgana said; out-fucked the old man...”

 

Arthur grabbed Merlin’s elbow and jerked it. “It wasn’t cute when she said it, but from your mouth, it’s bloody distasteful. Now, either get your arse downstairs if you’re coming with, or get back in there with your little lover boy, but either way, give me my sodding keys, because I’m ravenous and I’m not going to stand around taking back talk from you.”

 

Merlin pointed toward the family room. “They’re in my coat pocket. I’ll just...”

 

Arthur rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest, and even though it took Merlin less than thirty seconds to pop in and grab his things, Arthur was impatiently tapping his foot when Merlin returned. After Merlin dropped the keys into his open palm, Arthur spun on his heel and took off down the corridor at a fast clip, leaving Merlin to scurry after him.

 

“I want to talk to you,” Merlin said as they made their way across the parking lot. “About last night.”

 

“Really not a good time, Merlin.” Arthur brushed him off a little too easily for Merlin’s comfort.

 

“Oh really? When then, Arthur? When is a good time to talk about what the fuck happened between us last night?”

 

“What the fuck happened?” Arthur said, pulling his door open, “You were in a strop and I sorted you out.”

 

“There was a bit more to it than that, Arthur,” Merlin replied, copying the motion and sliding into the passenger side.

 

“Oh, was there? Forgive me if I’m having trouble thinking on it as my father is _dying_.”

 

Merlin startled in his seat, pausing with the seatbelt clip still in-hand. “He is for certain, then?”

 

Arthur’s fingers gripped the steering wheel and his head bowed. For a moment, Merlin thought Arthur was going to lose it right then and there. But, in a moment of typical Pendragon stoicism, Arthur sucked in a deep breath and contained himself. He shoved the keys into place and twisted them. "His heartbeat is too erratic and they've got him on a pacemaker. Artificial lungs. And he's accumulating fluids. You know, I really could have used you in there, Merlin. To...to decode all of the doctor speak."

 

"Oh, so I do have a purpose other than sex and feeding that gluttonous hole you call a mouth?"

 

"Merlin," Arthur said in warning as he backed out of the spot, the sharpness of his tone burrowing into Merlin's core.

 

Merlin swallowed and bowed his head, looking at his hands in his lap. He had been taking too many liberties lately with Arthur and Arthur was right to be irritated with him. "I'm sorry."

 

Merlin heard Arthur sigh and after a moment, Arthur reached over and took Merlin's hand, squeezing it tightly. Merlin squeezed back. He couldn't remember the last time anyone had held his hand.

 

***

 

Over the next three days, Uther continued to deteriorate until he was in full-on organ failure. He was puffy with fluid and his skin was taking on a yellow hue. The machines beeped and hissed as they regulated Uther's breath and blood. Merlin might have felt sorry for him if he hadn't known the sheer evil that Uther was capable of. Instead, his heart was breaking for Mordred who was slowly falling apart, and especially for Arthur, who was fighting to keep everything together. Everyone had been by: from Agravaine and other distant relatives to business associates to the press.

 

Through it all, Merlin was sure to remain available to Arthur at all times. He had even gone to Uther's house to pick up clean clothes for Arthur and Mordred, who had refused to leave the hospital. Although, Merlin suspected that had more to do with not wanting to be in Uther's home and less to do with being a loyal servant of Uther's employ. Merlin certainly couldn't blame the poor kid. 

 

While in Uther's home, Merlin had taken a minute to visit the playroom. The vacuum bed was torn to shreds and there was a magical residue, not unlike ectoplasm, that clung to the frame. Aside from that, the room was immaculate. It was nothing for Merlin to clean and restore the bed to working condition (which he did only to cover the scene of the crime), although the air remained heavy with Mordred's energy long after Merlin had finished.

 

It was early evening on the third day or Uther's hospitalisation and Merlin was perched on the windowsill in Uther's hospital suite, trying to fend off the melancholy mood that glazed over them all like a low hanging cloud. Several nurses had been in and out within the last thirty minutes, checking the machines and readouts. In itself, that wasn't a good sign.

 

As usual, Arthur was slouching in the chair at his father's right side with his head propped in one hand. He and Mordred had been taking turns on the couch in the family room, and apart from the few times he'd nodded off at Uther's side, Arthur hadn't had any real rest. Merlin suspected that Arthur, like himself, was beyond tired but too caffeinated to sleep. 

 

Finally, the doctor managing Uther's case made an appearance. He looked apologetically around the room until his eyes landed on Arthur. He cleared his throat. "Mr. Pendragon?"

 

Arthur wearily straightened, making to stand until the doctor waved his hand dismissively and crouched beside him. "I understand you're the next of kin and health-care proxy?"

 

Arthur hesitated then reluctantly nodded. 

 

"You are aware that he is in multi-organ failure?" The doctor asked and Arthur nodded again. "The toxins in his blood are now approaching a critical level. His brain is beginning to be affected. There are measures that we can take to prolong his life, Mr. Pendragon, but you should know that there really isn't anything else that we can do at this point, other than ensure his comfort."

 

Almost in slow motion, the corners of Arthur's mouth turned down and his jaw tightened. Anguish flashed in Arthur's eyes before he closed them and covered his face with his hand. Merlin stood and moved behind him, laying his hands on Arthur's shoulders. They were bunched with tension and did not ease beneath his touch. "What do you need from me?" Arthur asked in a strained voice.

 

"You should consider turning off the cardio-pulmonary apparatus. Though your father has not regained consciousness, toxic multi-organ failure can be painful and we cannot rule out encephalopathic seizures."

 

"Jesus!" Arthur glanced at his father, then to his sister. "Morgana!"

 

"Let them do it, Arthur." Morgana was calm and detached. "He wouldn't want to linger on. He shouldn't have to suffer."

 

Arthur's eyes turned to Agravaine, who looked disinterested. Agravaine's eyes flicked from Uther to Morgana to Arthur. "She's right, Arthur. There's no dignity in that sort of death."

 

"There's no chance for recovery?" Arthur asked and the doctor grimly shook his head.

 

"Okay. Alright..." Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose.

 

"If you need more time..." the doctor offered.

 

Arthur shook his head and waved his hand. "Just do it!"

 

The doctor nodded and patted Arthur's hand as he stood. "Let me just get the paperwork and we can get started."

 

Merlin tightened his fingers on Arthur's shoulders as the doctor departed. After a minute, he said, "I should get Mordred, he would want to know."

 

Arthur waved his hand in allowance again but as Merlin turned, Arthur grabbed Merlin's shirt, preventing him from going anywhere.

 

"Alright. Okay," Merlin soothed, reversing his direction and curling around Arthur instead. Arthur's face pushed into Merlin's stomach and Merlin ran his fingers through Arthur's hair.

 

But it seemed that Arthur was just as aware of everyone’s eyes on them as Merlin was. He pushed Merlin back slightly, whispering, "Don't be long."

 

Merlin nodded. He didn't want to be there when Uther breathed his last breath, but because Arthur needed him to, he would. He strode down the hallway and pushed open the door of the family room. Mordred was sitting at the table, spinning a pencil around with his finger. The pencil fell to the tabletop and he looked up when Merlin entered.

 

"It's time," Merlin announced cryptically but Mordred seemed to know what he meant.

 

Mordred's shoulders slumped and his face turned ashen. "I can't do it, I can't do it."

 

"You don't have to, but I thought you should know."

 

Mordred shook his head and the lights dimmed. "You thought wrong! How am I supposed to sit here while a man dies on my account?"

 

Merlin moved swiftly, grabbing Mordred before he could do anything else. "It's on his own damned account! Now stop it! Control yourself! Go somewhere else, why don't you? Go home. You have no more obligations here."

 

Mordred's jaw tightened and he ground through his teeth, "I don't have a home. Nobody wants me, I'm a perversion of nature."

 

Merlin heaved a sigh. God help him, he didn't have time for this. He was only one man and there were two turning to him for reassurance. "How are you a bloody perversion of nature? Because of this? God only knows if you didn't stop him, he might have killed you instead."

 

Mordred shoved Merlin away from him."Go back to your Prince Charming. Remind me later and I'll congratulate you on your new status as kept boy for England's richest and most eligible bachelor. You've made yourself indispensable to him, and now, you could probably wheedle some more cash—"

 

"It's not about the money!" Merlin argued and was as surprised to hear the words come out of his mouth as Mordred was. It was not that long ago that he'd told himself that's exactly what it was.

 

"No?" Mordred's lip curled into a sneer. "I can't imagine it's about the sex...and that only leaves love. You had better watch yourself, Emrys. Because sooner or later, this whole charade you've got with him is going to fall apart...and when it does, Arthur is going to use it to his benefit."

 

"He won't..." Merlin said, but his voice wavered with his lack of confidence in the matter.

 

"He will, if he hasn't been already. You're no Julia Roberts and he's no Richard Gere. Arthur is a Pendragon, and he will walk right over you."

 

"He's not like that!" Merlin argued in defence of Arthur's honour. 

 

"You forget, I've known him longer than you. You've never had the fine privilege of going to public school with a bunch of pretentious twats looking to assert their dominance..." Mordred scowled.

 

"He fagged you?" Merlin asked dumbly and Mordred shrugged. Merlin dismissed him with a wave. "You might have known him longer, but I know him better."

 

Mordred's lips curved into a cruel smile. "Whatever you like, Merlin. But don't say I didn't warn you. You don't fall in love with a Pendragon."

 

Merlin opened his mouth to respond and heard a muffled cough behind him. He whirled and finding no one else in the room, pushed at the door. It opened about a metre before wedging against a casual, grey slip-on loafer that was very familiar to Merlin. Merlin's stomach flopped then crawled into his throat. When he looked up, his eyes met with crystalline blue. "Arthur..." he said guiltily and the tips of Merlin's ears began to burn as, in a panic, he wondered how long Arthur had been standing there. "I said I'd be right back. I've been gone less than five minutes..."

 

"It was five minutes too long..." Arthur breathed as he pried Merlin's hand off the door knob and tugged Merlin out into the hallway. Merlin glanced helplessly back at Mordred before the door closed behind him. Wide and glassed, Arthur's eyes searched Merlin's and it made Merlin's heart skip a beat before beginning to thump wildly in his chest.

 

Merlin backed into the wall behind him and Arthur stepped forward, bracketing his arms on either side of Merlin, trapping him and seeming to steal the very air from his lungs. "How much did you hear?" Merlin wheezed.

 

"Enough..." Arthur whispered, his lips moving ever closer to Merlin's mouth. 

 

Arthur's jumper was thick and warm as Merlin's fingers curled in it, clutching it to keep himself upright and he was embarrassed by the whimper that escaped him. "Arthur..."

 

"Have you?" Arthur's lips brushed Merlin's, sending a shiver through him. "...fallen in love with a Pendragon?"

 

Panic raced through Merlin at the thought of responding, though he realised that a simple tip of his chin would bring their mouths together, if only he could move. There was a thrum of energy pulsing on Merlin lips and he thought he had never in his life so badly needed to be kissed.

 

Arthur's breath ghosted over Merlin's lips and his tongue flickered, just the barest warm flash into Merlin's mouth before it was gone again, turning the core of Merlin into a molten, churning mass and leaving him literally weak in the knees. 

 

 _Please!_ Had he said it? Merlin's body swayed against Arthur's, entreatingly.

 

"Merlin!" Arthur whispered desperately and pulled Merlin flush against him. 

 

Merlin's heart was trying to fight its way out of his chest. He bit his lip and his eyelashes fluttered against Arthur's cheek. "I don't know!" Merlin breathed.

 

Arthur's breath seemed to catch in his throat and his fingers dug into Merlin's hip. He pushed Merlin back against the wall, away from him, and the loss left Merlin utterly bereft. He reached for Arthur again, sure that it should not be too difficult a task to form the monosyllabic word of affirmation (except that it was).

 

"Arthur!" Agravaine's voice cut down the hallway and Arthur jerked away from Merlin. "I know you're only eighteen, but is it too much to expect, at a time like this, for you to think with the head on your shoulders instead of the one in your pants?"

 

Merlin slid down the wall and buried his face in his hands as Arthur scowled.

 

"I will be there in a minute!" Arthur called, then grumbled under his breath, "For fuck’s sake, he's not going anywhere, is he? Not going to get any fucking worse..." Arthur turned back, then looked down and sighed. Leaning over, he took Merlin by the elbows and gently pulled him up. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have...Are you alright?"

 

Merlin clung to Arthur, pushing his face against his chest. Merlin needed these arms and that posh accent which sometimes softened and gentled just for him and he needed Arthur's strength and his guidance and his love. He needed this man and it was possible-probable-likely that he maybe-even-sort-of-did love him. "Yesss!" Merlin whispered into the cashmere that caressed his cheek.

 

Arthur rubbed Merlin's arms briskly and kissed the top of his head. "Good. Come on then."

 

Merlin was confused by this only momentarily but as Arthur led him down the hall, he realised that their moment had passed. Arthur paused before the door to Uther's room, sighing before squaring his shoulders and lifting his chin. Arthur's fingers tightened over Merlin's as he crossed the threshold into a room filled with the oppressiveness of death.

 

And what kind of world was this, Merlin wondered, where a team of doctors could keep a man alive indefinitely, but only one person could pull the plug? What kind of world was it that friends and family and strangers should come together in order to watch and count down the seconds until a man who thought he was a God became just an empty husk? 

 

Morgana held Uther's left hand and she was uncharacteristically silent with her head bowed. Agravaine had Uther's right and was murmuring soothingly to him. When he finished, he stepped aside, making way for Arthur to resume the space.

 

"Come to watch, have you?" Agravaine said under his breath to Merlin. "I suppose it's only fair..."

 

"I've come for Arthur," Merlin said, narrowing his eyes at Agravaine.

 

Agravaine smirked. "I'll bet you have. Never been the discriminating sort, have you?"

 

Merlin fought the wave of humiliation that threatened to crash over and bury him. Taking his cue from Arthur, he straightened and looked Agravaine in the eyes. "Now isn't the time for this."

 

Agravaine's eyes widened first, then crinkled with apparent amusement. "Too right, Merlin. Though I do think Uther would have appreciated the sentiment of a final send off..."

 

Merlin shoved away the unbidden mental image of himself bent over Uther in the hospital bed with Agravaine behind him and scowled. "Enough..." Merlin whispered and as his cheeks began to flush, Arthur looked over his shoulder at Merlin with a frown.

 

"Enough the both of you!" Morgana hissed, glaring at them from behind the curtain of her hair. "Let the man die in peace, would you?"

 

Merlin lowered his head and Agravaine sauntered to the foot of the bed where he perched. 

 

No one spoke. They barely breathed, it seemed, as though they were saving the air for Uther's final gasp. The doctor took ages to come back with the paperwork and only minutes to explain it to Arthur. In mere seconds, Arthur's signature was scrawled, and Uther's fate was sealed.

 

"The nurse will be along in a few moments..." the doctor said, putting the pen in his clipboard and bowing his head slightly. "I am sorry for your loss..."

 

It wasn't long after the doctor disappeared that the nurse arrived, quietly confirming that everyone was ready.

 

"Wait!" Arthur said, sitting forward as the nurse's hand hovered over the first switch. He bit his lip and ran his hand through his hair.. "How—how long is this going to take?"

 

The nurse sighed and gave Arthur a pitying look. "Oh love, not long. Your poor father's so sick..."

 

Merlin looked at the nurse and then down at the floor. _Only as long as it takes to suffocate_ , he thought. _Only until that black heart of his stops beating._

 

It took only a minute for the nurse to flip all the switches, push all the buttons, and remove all of the tubes and gadgets from Uther. Without the whirring, beeping machines, the silence grew to deafening proportions. 

 

Arthur's hand found Merlin's and Merlin stroked his knuckles with his thumb, all the while examining the fine lines of Arthur's skin and the delicate golden hairs that started at his wrist and twined up Arthur's arm. Merlin did not have it in him to watch someone expire, and so he didn't.

 

After a time, the nurse returned, reaching across Morgana in order to feel for a pulse. Merlin had silently counted to three hundred before the nurse lowered Uther's hand to the mattress, giving it a gentle pat. "He is at peace, now."

 

"He's gone?" Arthur choked suddenly as if it were a surprise and jerked his hand away from Merlin in order to cover his face. Morgana and Agravaine crowded to support him and Merlin was quickly pushed aside. 

 

With a sigh, Merlin stepped away. He took one look at Uther's face, purpled and flat with death and turned abruptly, his stomach rolling. His tightly closed eyes did nothing to block the image from his mind's eye.

 

He stumbled down the hallway and into the family room where Mordred was sitting on the sofa with his head in his hands. "Alright, there?" Merlin asked out of courtesy before sinking into a similar position beside him.

 

"Sure I will be, once I get over the fact that I've killed someone," Mordred said into the space between his knees. "You?"

 

"Fine," Merlin replied in an equally strained tone. "As soon as I get over having watched said someone expire."

 

Mordred sniffled. "He was past due, anyway. Old, rotten..."

 

"And he tasted funny..." Merlin was unable to stop himself from the quip, now that Mordred had him comparing Uther to a pint of spoiled milk. It was terrible, but it was just the two of them and it had them both laughing through their tears. "I'm going to hell, aren't I?"

 

"Save me a seat," Mordred sighed as his giggles subdued.

 

It was another hour before Merlin's phone buzzed against his thigh. Wearily, he slid it from his pocket and opened Arthur's text. _Grab coats. Go home. You drive._ Merlin was on his feet and halfway across the room before he realised what he was doing. He paused to scrub his face, and as he took their coats from the rack, he turned back to Mordred. "You need cash for a cab or something?"

 

Mordred laughed bitterly. "How about the number for your old madam?"

 

"She won't take you 'til you're eighteen...come on, Mordred, you don't wanna do that shit anyway..."

 

Mordred's facade slipped and his utter dejection shown through. "I don't have anywhere to go..."

 

"How about home?" Merlin suggested, shrugging his coat on.

 

"Especially not there..." Mordred scowled. "I haven't got a father anymore and he hasn't a son, not so long as I'm a fag."

 

"Shit..." Merlin sighed, his heavy heart growing heavier by the moment. Mordred had accused Merlin of abandoning him once, and look what had become of him...It made Merlin wonder if either of them could afford for it to happen again. "That's...that's just utter...shit."

 

"And I'm proper fucked..."

 

"Look, you're not. I'll tell Arthur that you're coming back with us. There's a spare room you can stay in and none of the lads will mind..."

 

"And it will be like Eton all over again..." Mordred said softly. But there was no fire to his protest, only resignation.

 

"It won't," Merlin promised. "Because I'll be there and because it's Lance and Percy and Gwaine, and they aren't like that, just like Arthur's not like that..." 

 

Mordred shrugged and Merlin passed him his coat. As Merlin began to open the door, he realized that he could hear Arthur in the hallway just beyond, and he was arguing with Agravaine. Frowning at Mordred, Merlin pressed his ear to the crack.

 

"I said he's coming with, and that's the end of it." Arthur said.

 

"I think not, Arthur. We have a lot of serious business to deal with over the upcoming days, between your father's funeral and dealing with the lawyers from Pendragon Enterprise, you simply won't have time for playing games and Merlin is not the sort of distraction I want lurking about the estate."

 

"He comforts me!" Arthur ground out.

 

Agravaine snorted. "He's a whore. The both of them are. Lying, thieving, conniving, sneaky little whores. And I won't entertain their presence any longer. Now, get your things. I fully expect that you and Morgana both will return to your father's estate, tonight."

 

"Uncle—" Arthur began.

 

"No, Arthur. It's time you started acting like an adult. You stand to inherit a multi-billion dollar industry, a little self control goes a long way. Go on, now."

 

Merlin barely got out from behind the door before Arthur barrelled through it, looking a thousand times more dishevelled and unkempt than he had before. His eyes were downcast and his tone a mixture of anger and hurt. "There's been a change of plan...I...I have to deal with some important matters and it...it would be best if you...if you...I want you to go home, Merlin, and wait for me there."

 

His eyes filling with tears at Arthur's pain, Merlin nodded and held up Arthur's coat. Arthur shrugged into it and turned, looking unsure of himself. Merlin found he didn't care about Agravaine or Mordred or anyone else at the moment; he flung himself at Arthur and hugged him fiercely. Arthur sagged slightly against Merlin, pushing his face into the curve of Merlin's neck. Stroking Arthur's hair, Merlin murmured and shushed him.

 

After a minute, Arthur sighed and pulled away. He fished his keys out of his pocket and put them in Merlin's hand. "I'll catch a ride with Morgana. I... don't want you fooling around on the tube this time of night."

 

Merlin's fingers curled around the keys, a slight smile quirking his lips. "Arthur, it's not yet eight."

 

Arthur struggled and failed to come up with another reason. He pushed Merlin's hand away from him. "Just take the car, Merlin. I'll text you if I need something..."

 

Merlin nodded agreeably and pocketed the keys. Mordred cleared his throat and Merlin remembered their loosely laid plan. "Alright if I take Mordred home?"

 

Arthur waved in allowance. "Fine, the least we could do. Just let me know when you get back, yeah? Now, I'm sorry, but I've got to find Morgana before she takes off..." Arthur lingered another moment, then leaned in, dropping a hasty kiss on Merlin's lips. "Night."

 

"Night," Merlin echoed, bringing his fingers to his lips, which still tingled warmly. Arthur flushed and ducked out of the room, taking Merlin's heart with him. Merlin sighed and Mordred rolled his eyes.

 

"Idiots, the both of you."

 

"Yeah," Merlin agreed and grinned at him. "Should we go?"

 

"You realise he thinks you're dropping me off at my house before going back to your place?" Mordred donned his jacket.

 

"By the time he realises, it will be too late to toss you out," Merlin confirmed. "Don't say I never did you any favours..."

 

Mordred snorted and let Merlin hold the door for him on the way out of the waiting room. "May we never return," he said solemnly.

 

"I'll drink to that," Merlin replied.

 

"A drink sounds great, actually," Mordred prompted for the third time in as many hours. Merlin couldn't agree more.

 

It was only the unfamiliarity of driving Arthur's car that kept Merlin from drifting off into the abyss of his own thoughts. He drove carefully despite Mordred's goading and soon, they had arrived at the flat. Merlin let them in and they were greeted by Gwaine's friendly call and a wall of warm air.

 

"Christ, Gwaine, have you got the thermostat at twenty-five?" Merlin complained as he peeled off his coat and hung it on the hook. Mordred followed suit.

 

"Thirty!" Gwaine laughed and reclined on the sofa, clad only in the loose shorts he liked to wear around the house. "Where's Arthur? But more importantly...who's your friend?"

 

"Er..." Merlin went into the kitchen and pulled open the fridge, pulling out a couple of beers. "They pulled the plug on his dad, he's staying over to sort through things. This is Mordred. He's staying with us for a bit, take the couch in the other room, if that's okay."

 

"'Course!" Gwaine nodded, looking Mordred over with interest.

 

Mordred seemed oblivious, and was busy looking around the flat instead. "That's Gwaine, and he's a lecher," Merlin warned in jest as he caught up to Mordred and tried to hand him the larger.

 

Mordred eyed the bottle in distaste. "Haven't you got anything stronger?"

 

"The lad wants stronger?" Gwaine perked and got up off the sofa, wandering toward the liquor cabinet. "What's your fancy, mate?"

 

Merlin rolled his eyes as he returned the lagers to the fridge. "Careful now Mordred, Gwaine pops wood over a bottle of whisky..."

 

"Is that so?" Mordred mused aloud and reclined into Gwaine's spot on the couch. "Whisky it is, then."

 

Shot glasses clinked and Gwaine tossed a smouldering look over his shoulder. "Merlin, I like this lad. Why haven't you brought him around sooner?"

 

"Maybe because he's seventeen..." Merlin said, leaning over the back of the sofa. He tugged Mordred's shirt and murmured, "What are you doing, Mordred?"

 

Mordred only smirked as Gwaine came around in front of them, smiling.

 

"Ahhh, legal, then." Gwaine offered a three-quarters filled shot glass out to Mordred. "We'll see how you handle this and then—"

 

Mordred snatched the shot from him and tossed it back, and thrusting it back into Gwaine's hand, demanded, "Another, if you don't mind. And fill it this time, I'm not a baby."

 

Gwaine's eyebrows arched in amusement. "Yes, sir!" He laughed and collected the bottle. "Merlin, have I mentioned how much I like him?"

 

Merlin rolled his eyes and straightened. "Wonderful. The two of you are a match made in heaven, I'm sure. I'll just go make up the sofa, shall I?"

 

"Whatever you like," Mordred replied distantly and his eyes were fixed on Gwaine as his lips graced the rim of the glass. 

 

As Merlin went down the hallway, he thought that he could hardly fault Mordred for being so immediately taken with Gwaine. Gwaine was a fine specimen of manhood with a wonderfully friendly emeanour and an indiscriminate sexual appetite. If they were both hoping to pull, then good on them. But Merlin didn't want to get in the middle of it. He just hoped that Mordred wasn't hurt in the process. 

 

From the hall closet, Merlin grabbed a few pillows and blankets, leaving them in a pile on the gaming room sofa. Fuck it. If Mordred even slept there, he could set it up himself. Then, Merlin retreated to Arthur's bedroom to grab some bed clothes before making his way to the loo to clean up. Belatedly, he remembered to text Arthur and got out of the shower with a headful of shampoo in order to do so. He received an immediate response as though Arthur had been waiting for Merlin's text.

 

Knowing Arthur, he probably had been. He was upset and vulnerable and he shouldn't have had to be alone at a time like this. It was all because of Arthur's controlling uncle and though Merlin had never liked Agravaine, he was sure that he liked the man even less now. 

 

The hot shower served only to make Merlin sleepy. After checking to see if Mordred and Gwaine needed anything (they didn't), Merlin turned on the ceiling fan and crawled into Arthur's bed. Within minutes, he sank into an exhausted sleep.

 

***

 

Merlin didn't see Arthur again until Uther's funeral and if Merlin had known that it would be two miserable days filled with the sight of Mordred and Gwaine eye-fucking one another and an entire day of listening to them actually fuck each other, then he might have made different arrangements. And it wasn't that he particularly cared about their proclivities, it was only that it made Arthur's absence so much harder to tolerate.

 

Merlin was not surprised to find himself seated near the very rear of the church for the service. He wasn't especially bothered by it, and it meant that he was one of the first people to see Arthur as he passed with the coffin. Merlin was not so far gone as to try and attract Arthur's attention, though he longed for the flicker of recognition in Arthur's eyes that said he had seen Merlin. Arthur passed him, looking outwardly well-groomed with a new hair cut and a freshly shaven nape that Merlin couldn't help but long to lick. But, he was clearly grief-stricken and though he easily bore the coffin, he was seemingly being slowly crushed by the weight of his emotion. After placing the casket, Arthur took his place beside Morgana and from there on out, Merlin could only see the soft light glinting off of Arthur's golden hair, his head held bravely high throughout the service.

 

When all was finished and the procession came past again, Merlin thought he saw Arthur's imperceptible nod. It took all he had to file out in the proper queue. Once outside, Merlin looked around for Arthur but couldn't find him anywhere. There was a shiny, black limo parked behind the hearse. The windows were heavily tinted and he couldn't see inside. With a sigh, he took out his phone and turned it on.

 

_You have 8 new messages from: Your Master_

_...Find me..._

_...Are you out yet?..._

_...I see a thousand people and none of them are you..._

_...I'll just wait by my car for you..._

_…Where the hell have you parked?…_

_…East Bumblefuck, could you have gotten farther away from the church?…_

_...Why the fuck aren't you here yet?..._

_…Turn on your damn phone!…_

 

Merlin was jogging up the street by now, and as he turned the corner at the end of the block, he wondered just how Arthur had managed to find the Aston, because he _was_ in East Bumble. His phone was rumbling in his hand and he poked at it to check the message. _I've got to get back, I'll catch you graveside, I guess???_

 

Dismay flashed through Merlin as he considered that he might have missed Arthur. But then he saw him, briskly walking with his head down as he thumbed his phone. Merlin's phone buzzed again but he stuffed it into his pocket in favour of deliberately crashing into Arthur and throwing his arms around his neck.

 

Arthur said something unintelligible into Merlin's bunched suit coat but then his hand was in Merlin's hair, twisting, tugging Merlin's head toward him. Arthur's lips were cold when they met Merlin's and their teeth clacked together but Merlin didn't care. Arthur's kiss was hard and desperate and Merlin clung to him in the midst of it.

 

Arthur pulled away with a sigh when his phone started ringing but Merlin's arms were still looped around his neck, preventing him from going very far. "What is it?...Well just go without me then...No, of course not. I've just run into Merlin, he can give me a ride."

 

Merlin tilted his head as he looked at Arthur. He could easily imagine the other side of the conversation, especially if the gravelly tone he heard belonged to Agravaine.

 

"Don't be stupid," Arthur snapped after a minute. "He drove my Aston....Are you kidding me? It's the epitome of class...no one will even notice...well, I'm sorry you feel that way...we've certainly wasted enough—"

 

Merlin began to stroke Arthur's back to calm him, and Arthur held the mobile away from his ear as he rolled his eyes skyward.

 

Finally, Arthur put his foot down. "You'll just have to take my word for it. I'll meet you there. Goodbye." 

 

As Arthur pulled the mobile from his ear, Merlin took it from him, turned it off and tucked it into Arthur's blazer pocket. "You want to run away?" Merlin murmured into Arthur's ear.

 

"Yes," Arthur replied, his arms tightening around Merlin's waist for a moment. Then, he released him with a sigh, taking Merlin's hand instead and pulling him toward the car. "But we really have to go. Here, I'll drive, I've missed it."

 

"Really? You missed your car?" Merlin gaped at Arthur, who slowly smiled without looking at Merlin. 

 

"Yes, it's a nice car."

 

"What about me?" Merlin demanded before he could stop himself.

 

Arthur glanced sideways at Merlin before pulling out onto the street. "Oh, no, not really. The maid and the cook stayed on at my father's. Our needs were taken care of."

 

Even though Merlin knew that Arthur was taking the mick, he still felt a pang of fear at the thought that Arthur might not need him. He pouted dramatically. "What about your _other_ needs? Was there anyone to take care of those?" 

 

As Merlin slid his hand from Arthur's knee to his thigh, Arthur sucked in a breath and held it. He shook his head. "No..."

 

Merlin smiled and unclipped his seatbelt. "I could, you know..."

 

Arthur startled and stepped on the brakes as Merlin leaned over, flinging his arm against Merlin's chest and gently pushing him back. "It's not that I don't want it, Merlin, and I appreciate the sentiment, but we're nearly there."

 

"I can make it fast..." Merlin promised, his smile widening.

 

"I'm sure you could," Arthur said, sliding his palm down Merlin's torso and leg, coming to a rest on his knee. "Just...my head isn't in it, right now. I just need to get through this and the reception, so we can get home."

 

Merlin frowned at the rejection and slumped as he fixed his seatbelt. "Er, sorry..."

 

"I _have_ missed you, Merlin," Arthur clarified.

 

“No, no, I understand. I’m sorry,” Merlin apologized again. “I don’t know what I was thinking, actually. That was in really poor taste on my behalf, and I-”

 

“Shut up, Merlin.” Arthur said softly, and without any conviction.

 

Merlin looked at him for a minute and then smiled. “Shut up, Arthur.” 

 

The crowd at the interment site was much smaller than that at the church, and though there was another service, the priest was remarkably brief. At the cemetery, Arthur pulled Merlin to the front of the group along with him, and despite Agravaine’s dirty looks. Both of them kept their hands respectfully on their own persons, but occasionally, they swayed toward one another and their shoulders brushed.

 

As the casket was committed to the family crypt, Merlin silently said his goodbyes to a man he'd never liked. Knowing what he'd done to Mordred had stripped away any lingering respect Merlin might have had for Uther. And though he didn't have it in him to hope that Uther might suffer the fiery pits of hell, he certainly did hope that Karma had something up her sleeve.

 

Merlin said something akin to a prayer for peace, and when he was finished, glanced at Arthur. That single action was nearly his undoing.

 

Arthur's eyes stared hard into the distance and they were glossy with unshed tears that he blinked rapidly back. His jaw was set and his posture rigid. Whatever sort of man Uther Pendragon had been, he was still Arthur's father, and despite his influences, Arthur, at the tender age of eighteen, was ten times the man Uther had ever been. At eighteen, Arthur was now an orphan, and it was a fate Merlin could neither imagine nor wish upon someone. 

 

Part of him admired Arthur's stubborn stoicism, eyes dry as he laid a rose on the top of the casket before turning to comfort the dramatically sobbing Morgana. But Merlin could almost hear his mother's voice: _There is a healing power in tears, Merlin. They are the words the heart cannot speak to all who are willing to listen._ And Merlin wanted to tell Arthur, he was there and he was listening.

 

At the reception, Arthur grew colder and more distant. His politeness in receiving the guests diminished as time wore on until he was quietly nursing the third generous measure of Scotch that Merlin had brought him in the corner and avoiding eye contact with everyone. 

 

Agravaine had tried to force Merlin into the kitchen with the servants on two separate occasions, claiming that Merlin's presence was both a disgrace and an insult and would attract undue attention to Arthur by constantly hovering around him. He was deterred from further attempts only when Merlin threatened to make a scene if Agravaine laid another finger on him.

 

Finally, Morgana approached Merlin and all but begged him to take Arthur home. She didn't think that he had ever seen Arthur so foul in the years they'd lived together and Merlin was wont to agree. Luckily, Arthur came along without an argument, falling asleep against the door on the ride home.

 

"Arthur?" Merlin shook him gently by the shoulder but Arthur still woke with a start and a gasp.

 

"Merlin!" Arthur whispered and clutched at him.

 

"It's alright," Merlin soothed Arthur, stroking a hand through his hair. "We're home now. We can get you to a proper bed..."

 

Arthur grunted but pressed a kiss to Merlin's palm before spilling out of the car.

 

Merlin didn't think that Arthur was drunk, but nevertheless curled his arm around Arthur's waist and guided him inside, where things were quiet for once. Ever since Gwaine had taken up with Mordred, the other lads had made themselves scarce. It wasn't that they were homophobic by any means, after all they had tolerated Merlin and Arthur's much more discreet relationship (though there was no way that they had possibly avoided the sounds coming from their bedroom). But Gwaine and Mordred were both exhibitionists by nature, and whether it had been accidental or on purpose, Merlin had already walked in on them in the kitchen once.

 

Now was not the time to bring up their newest roommate, however. He wasn't sure how Arthur would take it, though now that Mordred and Gwaine were together, sort of, he had much less ground to protest.

 

In the bedroom, Merlin got Arthur out of his suit and ready for bed.

 

"How about a nightcap?" Arthur proposed as he settled down onto the mattress.

 

"How about you let me work you over and tire you out instead?" Merlin smiled and started to straddle Arthur's hips.

 

"Merlin," Arthur said in a reproving tone.

 

Smile fading quickly to frown, Merlin slid away from him. "Arthur, it's been nearly a week...you can hardly blame me for trying."

 

"And I've just buried my father, so you can hardly blame me for declining," Arthur replied coolly.

 

"Of course not," Merlin placated, "but I really don't think that alcohol is the solution to your problem."

 

Arthur rubbed his face with his hands. "And I don't pay you to think. Now get the damn drink—double Scotch rocks."

 

Merlin felt heat rush to his face and he stumbled backward as though he'd been punched. He felt his magic bubbling up from his gut and had to quickly compose himself, stuffing the energy down and letting it simmer. He bowed slightly in acquiescence. "Yes, Sir."

 

As Merlin walked down the hallway, his magic seeped up again, burning his oesophagus like bile and he was afraid he would not be able to contain it for much longer. Pointing his hand at the sofa, he directed a quick burst of magic at the pile of decorative pillows that served no purpose and often ended up on the floor anyway. They flew in all directions, landing soundlessly. It was not the sort of destruction that would quell Merlin's raging emotions, but was slightly more satisfying than doing nothing. Another jet of magic had them all flying back in place and he relaxed a little more.

 

Arthur was under pressure. He was tired, upset, and had been drinking. _You always hurt the ones you love_ , Merlin allowed. _Or like. Or pay exorbitant sums of money to for the sum purpose of treating however you want...shit._

 

Frowning, Merlin decided that there was no harm in taking his time. He collected a cut crystal tumbler from the kitchen and dropped several cubes of ice into it and perused the liquor cabinet even though the Scotch was right in front of his face. On his way back to Arthur's room, he stopped back in the kitchen for a bottle of water. By the time Merlin returned, Arthur was sprawled in the centre of the mattress, dead asleep.

 

With a sigh, Merlin placed the Scotch and the water on the nightstand and collected a spare blanket from the hall closet to throw over Arthur, since he was lying atop all of his own. For a moment, Merlin debated on sleeping by himself on the sofa in the gaming room. Ultimately, his desire to be close to Arthur won out over his wounded pride and he crawled beside him, tentatively tossing an arm and a minute later, a leg, over him. Merlin's last thought before drifting off to sleep himself was, _Shut up, Arthur_.

***

 

It was only just light out when they were woken by an early phone call and Merlin hadn't even had the chance to appreciate the splendor that was Arthur's morning wood before Arthur was climbing out of bed, grumbling into the speaker and shuffling off to the bathroom. With a sigh, Merlin threw off the blanket and shoved his hand in his pants, starting off his day with an invigorating scratch, and it seemed that was going to be the extent of the action his bits were going to get for the foreseeable future.

 

Arthur strolled back in while Merlin was stretching lazily and eyed him. Putting his hand over the receiver, he whispered, "What are you doing? Put the kettle on!"

 

Merlin rolled off the bed and on to his feet. "Fruit?" he proposed and Arthur nodded. "Toast?"

 

Merlin pulled on a pair of jeans and made his way to the kitchen. He was pretty sure that he could have offered Arthur the full breakfast, lunch and dinner and, in his distraction, he would have agreed to it all. Just as long as it didn't require participation or intimacy.

 

Arthur was firing up his printer that doubled as both a fax and a scanner when Merlin came in with a tray. He set everything up on Arthur's desk then stood back to see what else Arthur might need.

 

As it turned out, aside from the occasional refill, not much. Arthur busied himself with the paperwork that came over on the fax and another phone call. Eventually, Merlin's boredom sent him scurrying for the telly. He had his mobile on him, and he was certain that Arthur would ring him when he was needed.

 

This time, Lance’s girlfriend Gwen was in the kitchen when Merlin made his way through and he stopped to chat with her, hoping that he hadn’t woken them up. He had only had the privilege of meeting Gwen once before, but she was perfectly lovely and she made him laugh. He helped her get breakfast on for the three of them while Lance finished up in the shower. Merlin was sure to give her the quick run-down of recent events so that she wasn’t struck unawares by anyone she may happen to come upon (ie Gwaine and Mordred shagging or Arthur in a funk). 

 

After a quick breakfast, Gwen and Lance headed out to class and Merlin cringed his way through a few episodes of _Jeremy Kyle_ followed by an impromptu, early-afternoon nap. Then, Merlin roused himself and went to check on Arthur. He found him more or less in the same spot, only now, Arthur was surrounded by stacks of textbooks and an open notebook in which he was writing furiously.

 

"Break for dinner in a bit?" Merlin proposed brightly from the doorway. His stomach was growling, and he could only imagine that Arthur’s was too.

 

"You go on," Arthur frowned at his notes and scribbled something out. "Bring me something back, though."

 

"Arthur..." Merlin protested, moving behind him. He dropped his hands to Arthur's shoulders which were bunched and tight, kneading them gently. "It's alright to take a break, Arthur. I can go and get whatever you like and we can eat together..."

 

"I don't have time, Merlin! I've missed a weeks worth of classes and I'm behind in everything..." Arthur scrubbed his face and shook his head. "I don't even have time for this conversation.” 

 

Merlin sighed. "I’m sorry...I won’t bother you any more. Maybe...can I just...” He flushed at his inability to vocalize what he needed and simply moved in front of Arthur, slipping to his knees.

 

“What are you doing?” Arthur said, suddenly alarmed. “I told you, I haven't the time-”

 

Merlin scooted closer to Arthur, situating himself into the space between Arthur’s knees. “Please? I won’t bother you. I’ll be quiet, you won’t even know I’m here.”

 

“What the fuck, Merlin? Seriously? You’re not a fucking dog.” Arthur seized Merlin’s arms and attempted to pull Merlin up, but Merlin balked, letting his frame go limp.

 

Merlin’s eyes filled with tears and he willed them back because this was stupid, asinine even, and if Arthur didn’t know by now that it wasn’t a game for him...”Arthur, please!” Merlin whined again. “It’s been a week and I’ve barely seen you, let alone been touched by you and all I bloody want is to be close to you... I need to, don’t you get it? You can’t just starve me from everything!”

 

Arthur’s eyes widened and his fingers tightened around Merlin's biceps. "Get a fucking grip, will you?"

 

"I'm _trying_ to!" Merlin practically wailed. "This is how I cope, and you're not helping me! I can't fucking focus when you push me away. All I can think about is getting on your good side again."

 

Arthur leaned forward into Merlin's space and Merlin sucked in a breath as though he could possibly inhale him. "Jesus, Merlin, you're not on my bad side! And you're the one who pushed me away. I'm trying to give you space and..."

 

"When?! When did I push you away?" Merlin demanded. He had only ever wanted Arthur, and he wouldn't...

 

"In the hospital..." Arthur whispered, pained. "Right before my father..."

 

"You prat! You complete and utter prat!" Merlin jerked his right arm free of Arthur's grasp and swung it, landing an awkward and ineffective smack to Arthur's chest. "You eavesdropped on a private conversation then hauled me out in the hallway and demanded to know if I _loved you_ —"

 

"Well, do you?" Arthur implored.

 

"There you go again! You can't just do that! You don't give a bloke a chance to think or wrap his head around it. You know what happened with Will, and I— you don't...that's not how you're supposed to go about it!"

 

"How then?" Arthur let go of Merlin and shovelled his hands through his hair.

 

Merlin sank back on his heels and flapped his arms uselessly. "I don't know! You have to put yourself out there first. Feel it out, something..."

 

"God damnit, Merlin, why does it have to come from me?"

 

"Because you're the one who wants to know..."

 

"That doesn't even make any sense!" Arthur argued. "Here I am, trying not to take advantage of our situation—"

 

"Take advantage...of our-?" Merlin's brain stuttered as he worked his way through that. "You mean the one where you are actually paying me to fuck you?"

 

"That's the one," Arthur said weakly.

 

"Are you daft? Like, actually out of your bloody buggering mind?" Merlin raved.

 

"I'm beginning to think so," Arthur admitted.

 

"Shit." Merlin looked down at his hands.

 

"Merlin..." Arthur said, reaching out to toy with the edge of Merlin's sleeve.

 

Merlin's heart suddenly leapt into his throat and began beating wildly. "Fuck." He said.

 

Arthur swallowed audibly and Merlin glanced up at him. There it was, his emotions laid bare for the taking: Arthur staring at him in earnest, with wet eyes, lashes clinging together in golden clumps. "Merlin, I—"

 

"No, don't!" Merlin suddenly said, panicking and scrambling from between Arthur's thighs. "Don't say anything!"

 

"Merlin!" Arthur crashed to his knees in the midst of scrambling after him."I can't do this. I can't keep on like this forever...Do you realize my inheritance is in probate? It could take up to a year to get released. And in the meantime, I have no idea how I’m going to pay for anything because I’ve only got so much in the bank. I've been trying to think of how to tell you..."

 

"Tell me _what_?" Merlin cried as his heart clenched and seized.

 

"That we're going to have to live under a bridge or something because....because...oh, hell. Just fuck it! Because I would rather give you every fucking penny to my name than give you up. Okay? And If you hate me because I think I love you, then it's my turn for the trampled heart then. But just do me a favor and if you're gonna leave me, then just do it. Don't toy with me and don't string me along, because I can't...Merlin, I can't—"

 

"Shut up, Arthur!" Merlin commanded, rising on his knees, grabbing fistfuls of Arthur's shirt and jerking him closer as he grumbled, "Thinks he loves me? The pillock _thinks_ he loves me."

 

"Are you going to kiss me?" Arthur asked breathlessly.

 

"I'll think about it," Merlin murmured and fixed his lips over Arthur's.

 

Instantly, one of Arthur's arms curled around Merlin, pulling him closer until Merlin was in his lap. His other hand caressed Merlin's cheek, moving to his jaw and then his nape, changing the angle of their kiss, deepening it and taking control. 

 

Merlin easily gave himself over to Arthur, melting in his embrace and letting himself be carried away on a tide of sensation. He was reeling and dizzy when Arthur broke away to look at him. "Arthur, don't stop..."

 

"I'm not. Just, my knee is starting to..." he grimaced as he stood and worked it slightly, then offered a hand to Merlin, pulling him up.

 

"Poor baby," Merlin crooned breathlessly. "I'll take care of you." And he reached for Arthur's trousers but Arthur caught his hand, pulling it up and wetly kissing the palm, then trailing to the pulse-point at the wrist. It sent a hot bolt of pleasure coursing through Merlin and his cock twitched.

 

"You never said..." Arthur began as he eased Merlin back onto the mattress.

 

"Said what?" Merlin asked, arching as Arthur's fingers moved too lightly over his body.

 

Arthur bit his lip. "Whether or not you...you'd fallen..."

 

"In love with a Pendragon?" Merlin finished for him and in jest, shook his head side to side. It was obvious, wasn't it?

 

Arthur sucked in a breath and a hurt look flashed across his face. His hands froze in place on Merlin's torso, twisting into his shirt. "Merlin, I—"

 

"Shut up, Arthur," Merlin whispered, reaching for him, nuzzling him. After a moment, it dawned on him that Arthur had no idea what _shut up_ was code for. "I...yes, _idiot_."

 

With a sigh, Arthur relaxed against him and then began to pepper kisses and nibbles over Merlin's collar bones. "Say it, you prat."

 

"What if I don't?" Merlin teased, baring his neck for Arthur's affections. He yelped when he felt the sharp pinch of Arthur's teeth at his throat. "Alright! I... think I love you too."

 

Arthur's laugh bubbled against Merlin's throat. "God forbid you make a concession." He sat up and stripped off his own shirt, then worked Merlin's off.

 

"Are you kidding me?" Merlin eagerly lifted his hips so that Arthur could pull his trousers off of him. "I've been your sex-slave for months. I concede to you left, right and centre."

 

"Yes," Arthur agreed, kicking his pyjama bottoms away from himself. "But you've always been the one with the experience. I've never been in love before..."

 

“Shut up, Arthur,” Merlin said, climbing into Arthur’s lap and kissing him quiet again. Mumbling into his mouth, Merlin said, “Shut up...shut up.”

 

They snogged for a long while, longer than Merlin could remember having done so before, and the whole time, Merlin's hands roamed the muscled expanse of Arthur's back- his skin burning beneath Merlin's palms.

 

“Merlin,” Arthur finally groaned against Merlin’s lips as he tugged Merlin away from him slightly. “Merlin, I need you.”

 

“I’m here, I’m here...” Merlin whispered, unable to stop his hips from moving, pushing his cock against Arthur’s stomach.

 

“In me...” Arthur said and it was like the world stopped. 

 

Merlin pulled farther away from him, searching Arthur’s face. “Are you sure?”

 

“Please,” Arthur sighed and reclined against the pillows, pulling Merlin’s hand to his chest. “I want to feel you, I’ve never wanted anything so much before.”

 

“I’m going to love you,” Merlin babbled as he reached for the lube. “I’ll make it good for you, Arthur.”

 

“I know,” Arthur smiled. “I’m not scared. I trust you. You’re brilliant at everything.”

 

“You’re just an idiot kid, what do you know?” Merlin teased as he pulled his hand away from Arthur, tucking the bottle of lube between his thighs to warm it.

 

“I know I love you...” Arthur bit his lip and Merlin leaned down to kiss it, then slid down Arthur’s torso, planting a slow line of kisses as he went. Arthur groaned and spread his legs for Merlin, throwing his arm over his face as though he couldn't bear to watch.

 

"Is that so?" Merlin asked, positioning himself between Arthur's legs. "Gimmie a pillow, there." Arthur handed one down to him and Merlin worked it beneath Arthur's hips, raising them for easier access.

 

"Merlin..." Arthur implored as Merlin stroked his thumb down the seam of Arthur's perineum.

 

"Figures you'd be a bossy bottom," Merlin murmured, nuzzling Arthur's thigh before dipping his head and blowing gently across Arthur's pucker. It clenched and Arthur gasp turned into a moan as Merlin fixed his mouth there, moving his lips and tongue in a slow, sensual kiss.

 

"Merlin!" Arthur whined and flexed his hips.

 

"Shhh," Merlin said, licking the pad of his thumb before adding it to the mix, stroking and stroking until Arthur opened to him and drew him in. As Arthur accustomed to the sensation of being breached, Merlin kept nibbling, licking and sucking at him. When Arthur's hips began to rock, Merlin eased his thumb out. He took a moment to spill some of the now-warmed lubricant into his palm and then thoroughly slicked his fingers.

 

Gently, Merlin glossed his fingers around Arthur's entrance and before pressing inside, sucked the head of Arthur's cock into his mouth, swirling his tongue indulgently. Arthur arched up, fisting Merlin's hair and he moaned, louder than Merlin had ever heard him before. 

 

Merlin smiled around Arthur's cock, bobbing his head in time with each slow stroke of his fingers. It had been ages since Merlin had done this for anyone but Arthur's snug heat was ample reminder to take things easy. He paused to add more lube and when his first two fingers glided easily in and out of Arthur, Merlin pulled free, climbing along Arthur's left side and settling into the crook of his arm. "You still want me?" he breathed into Arthur's ear.

 

Arthur was flushed from head to toe, and his chest heaved with each uneven breath. His forearm still covered his eyes but he nodded behind it.

 

"Then look at me, please, Arthur? Kiss me?"

 

Arthur moved his arm away from his face and curled it around Merlin instead. He looked at Merlin from beneath heavy lids, blinking slowly as he touched Merlin's cheek, then slowly ran his thumb down to Merlin's lip. "I want you," Arthur whispered. "I feel like I've only ever wanted you..."

 

Merlin's breath caught in his chest and he could only look at Arthur's beautiful face, feeling as though he were drowning in the impossible blue of his eyes. Arthur tugged him closer and their lips met once more. It was Merlin who moaned this time, the fleeting taste of Arthur's tongue leaving him aching for more. As they kissed, Arthur caught Merlin's right hand by the wrist and guided it between his legs again. 

 

Gently, Merlin slid his first two fingers in again but Arthur tossed his head, sighing into Merlin's mouth. "More! I'm ready..."

 

Merlin wasn't sure he was, but he could deny Arthur nothing, not the moon nor the stars but least of all, his fingers. As he teased Arthur's entrance with three fingertips, Arthur gasped, and when Merlin finally breeches him, he hissed and writhed.

 

"Wait for it..." Merlin promised on a breath, crooking his fingers and rubbing them until he found that firm little gem that turned Arthur into a groaning simpleton when he stroked it. "There we are..."

 

Arthur's hips hitched and and he clutched at Merlin, dragging him half on top of him. "That for me?" he asked, indicating Merlin's erection and Merlin pushed it against Arthur's hip as though to confirm it.

 

"It's all for you, love."

 

"Then _give_ it to me, because I can't take your teasing any longer,” Arthur ordered.

 

Merlin eased between Arthur’s thighs. “Your wish is my command, your majesty,” he said, uncapping the lube for the last time and drizzling it directly onto his cock. He slicked his length and aligned himself but held off, gazing down at Arthur for a moment longer. Finally, he nudged the head of his cock against Arthur’s wet heat, sinking inside slowly. It was too snug and too hot and too silky, he bit his lip and called on all of his self restraint not to just burrow in and make himself at home.

 

Instead, he rocked minutely until he was fully sheathed then leaned over Arthur, kissing him, stroking him.

 

“Guhh,” Arthur complained, digging his fingers into Merlin’s shoulder blades.

 

Merlin grinned and pulled his hips back only slightly, pausing before sliding in again.

 

“Uhhh!” Arthur said, and Merlin patted him soothingly. 

 

“It gets better, I promise,” Merlin reassured him, sliding his hand along Arthur's bicep, over his shoulder and along his neck. He rolled his hips, trying to find Arthur's sweet spot again. When he did, Arthur's hips snapped and he clenched so tightly around Merlin's cock that Merlin almost came.

 

Simultaneously, they swore and then laughed but when Merlin prodded the same spot again, Arthur clawed at him. "More of that..."

 

"Yes," Merlin agreed and flexed sinuously, drawing another grunt from Arthur and then another. It wasn't long before Arthur was rocking beneath Merlin, his legs clenched around Merlin's waist and his heels digging into Merlin's arse, goading him on harder, faster. Panting, Merlin pushed into Arthur and held his position, despite Arthur's bucking hips and the stinging slap to his flank. 

 

"Arthur..." Merlin protested, kissing along Arthur's jaw. "Arthur, slow down. I can't last like this...and I want to. I want to...want to make make love to you all night.”

 

“Yes!” Arthur said suddenly, as if he’d only just thought of it himself. He lifted his hand to Merlin’s face, cupping his cheek and kissing him with renewed tenderness. Merlin thought he could lose himself in Arthur’s mouth; in the gentle sweep of his tongue or the pressure of his lips closing as he drew away only to return again a moment later. Arthur’s hand -the one that was not thumbing Merlin’s cheekbone- moved up from his hip to his ribcage, then to his shoulder and back down his arm. Arthur’s fingers found Merlin’s and interwove with them, softly squeezing as Merlin began a slow sliding grind.

 

Merlin squeezed back, glancing from under his lashes to find Arthur's heated gaze on him. He wondered how long Arthur had been watching him and ducked his head as his cheeks gathered more heat. Uther had been a watcher, his steely gaze cutting through even the thickest subspace fog and reducing Merlin to nothing.

 

Arthur's thumb brushed over Merlin's cheek again, tipping his face back. "Look at me," he commanded softly.

 

Merlin's eyes flickered back. Arthur was still staring at him, but there was no malice there. What Merlin had once thought were glacial pools seemed more like the summer sky on a cloudless day...when Merlin realized where his train of thought was taking him, he couldn't help but snort and laugh.

 

Arthur's eyes widened. "What?"

 

"Nothing," Merlin tipped his head against Arthur's and kissed him, then grinned again.

 

"What is so funny?" Arthur demanded.

 

"Only the fact that my inner monologue is waxing poetic every time I look in your eyes and it's so cheesy..."

 

Arthur smirked and dragged his thumb over Merlin's lips. "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways....?"

 

"Not nearly so articulate..." Merlin pushed his face into the crook of Arthur's neck and nuzzled him. "Fucking...sunshine and rainbows and birds singing."

 

Arthur laughed. “You’re a bloody poet...”

 

Merlin nipped at Arthur’s collarbone and snapped his hips. “Shut it, _cabbagehead_ ”

 

Grunting, Arthur reflexively grabbed at Merlin, laughing even more. ”Make me.”

 

Merlin dropped his full weight onto Arthur and dug his free hand into Arthur’s ribs, tickling him. Arthur squawked and bucked, but Merlin bore down harder. It was but a moment before Arthur took total control, seizing both of Merlin’s wrists and using his knee to nudge Merlin away from him, then to the side.

 

Arthur rolled atop Merlin, straddling his hips as he stared down at him with a triumphant smirk. “I think I’ve humored you long enough.”

 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Merlin demanded, thrusting his hips and driving his cock against the crack of Arthur’s arse.

 

“It means I like it better when we do things my way,” Arthur explained. He brought Merlin’s wrists together, easily keeping them clamped with his left hand while he rose on his knees, reaching behind himself with the other.

 

Merlin gasped as Arthur sank down on top of him, feeling the muscles in Arthur’s thighs tighten and twitch. Arthur leaned over him, taking Merlin’s hands in each of his once more. He gave an experimental rock, drawing a needy moan from Merlin, who thought that pinioned here beneath Arthur was perfection as Merlin had never chanced to imagine it. He smiled up at Arthur as he moved over him, in amazement at how much easier it was to meet his gaze now, and wondering what had changed.

 

Arthur was beautiful; golden-haired and muscled, the determined set of his jaw only lending to Merlin's perception of him as the embodiment of strength and composure. Even the way Arthur took his pleasure from Merlin's body was distinguished: the subtle flare of his nostrils, the way his lips parted, allowing his breath to escape him in quiet bursts.

 

Then, a groan escaped Arthur and he released Merlin's left hand in favor of taking his own cock in hand. He gave himself a few languid strokes before Merlin's brain caught up and he reached for Arthur too. 

 

"Let me," Merlin said, surprised by the husky quality of his own voice. "I want to touch you."

 

Arthur seemed happy to oblige him, tangling his hand into Merlin's hair instead. As Merlin tugged him with sure, steady strokes, Arthur began to come undone. He fell forward, planting sloppy wet kisses on Merlin's chest, shoulders and neck and his hips rocked harder, faster.

 

Merlin was dizzy with need and arched up, the fingers of his right hand still tangled with Arthur's left. He squeezed Arthur's fingers, and seemingly in response, Arthur cried out and thrashed, grinding down onto Merlin's pelvis and then thrusting into his hand. Between the hot clutch of Arthur around him and the spill of come between their abdomens, Merlin was done for. He groaned into the sweat-damp hair just beyond Arthur's ear and after a final thrust, collapsed bonelessly under Arthur's weight. Each of them completely spent, they could do nothing more breathe one another in and trade aimless caresses. Long after Merlin had softened and slipped free of Arthur, Arthur remained curled over him until Merlin could bear his weight no longer and urged Arthur to roll over. 

 

Merlin curled into Arthur's side where he had always fit perfectly then floated drunkenly in a sea of bliss. He was loathe to move from there, to leave the warmth, safety and protection of Arthur's embrace. Unfortunately, after a time, the gurgles coming from his midsection were too loud to ignore –Merlin thought that his stomach might be trying to ingest itself. "I need to eat," he complained.

 

"I need to finish that probate paperwork," Arthur sighed.

 

"Sod it," Merlin replied, snuggling closer to Arthur. 

 

"Merlin, I won't have any money if I—"

 

Snorting, Merlin asked, "You don't actually think I'm going to take anymore of your money now, do you?"

 

"Are you going to give me a refund, then?" Arthur tipped his head down and kissed Merlin's temple.

 

Merlin kicked Arthur in the shin. "For services already rendered? Not on your life!"

 

Arthur grabbed Merlin and rolled with him, pushing Merlin to the very edge of the mattress where he dangled precariously and had to cling to Arthur or risk ending up on the floor.

 

Nevertheless, Merlin played it cool, blinking slowly at Arthur. "Are you kicking me out of your bed now that you've gotten what you wanted from me?"

 

Arthur grinned. "No, I'm kicking you out on account that you're an arsehole. And also, I'm hungry. I know you are too." He reeled Merlin in and kissed him one last time, then eased off the mattress. He groaned as he stooped, catching Merlin's clothes with his fingertips and flinging them at him.

 

"How's your arse, prat?" Merlin smirked and sat up to dress, ignoring the fingers Arthur flopped him. "I'll kiss it better for you if you like..."

 

"Tempting, Merlin, very tempting," Arthur said and wiped himself with his discarded shirt. "I'll have to take a rain check though."

 

Merlin sighed and fished a clean shirt out of Arthur's bureau. "Sandwiches from that shop on the corner? It's a short walk."

 

"If I'm not going to do that paperwork, I at least need to study." Arthur ruffled the hair at the back of his head sheepishly and bent to pick his pyjama bottoms off the floor. "Are you going to be pissed off at me if I stay?"

 

"Not if you walk me to the door and kiss me goodbye like a proper boyfriend," Merlin allowed, holding his hand out for Arthur to take.

 

"'Proper'?" Arthur echoed, crowding Merlin into the hallway and stealing a kiss. "That doesn't mean I have to behave myself, does it?"

 

"Only in front of my mother." Merlin grinned as Arthur pushed him against the wall and sucked on his neck.

 

"Oh, am I allowed to visit again?" Arthur tugged Merlin into his arms and bent him backwards playfully.

 

"What are you doing, Arthur?" Merlin giggled. "Now I know you've gone mad..."

 

"Playing the part of affectionate boyfriend, isn't that what you wanted?" Arthur asked slyly.

 

Merlin laughed and kicked up both feet, hooking his legs around Arthur's waist. The momentum nearly sent them crashing to the floor in a heap but Arthur recovered and straightened. "Just look at those footy-reflexes, would you?" Merlin lauded.

 

Before Arthur could answer, Lance happened past and gave them an appraising look. "Not you too, mate...I'm not sure Gwen will come back if she has to worry about blokes fucking around every corner."

 

At the same time that Arthur said, " _What_?" Gwaine walked Mordred backwards into their line of vision.

 

Gwaine lifted his mouth from Mordred's neck in order to reply ,"I think you ought to be more worried that she'll move in and never leave."

 

“It does seem to be the trend, doesn’t it?” Lance glanced pointedly first at Merlin, then at Mordred. 

 

Arthur's mouth dropped open and he gestured vaguely at Mordred. "What the fuck is going on? What is he doing here, anyway?"

 

Merlin dropped his legs back to the floor and leaned into Arthur. "Remember when you said I could bring Mordred home?"

 

Arthur groaned and Mordred grinned winningly. “I’m like a bad penny, Pendragon. I keep turning up...”

 

"Gwaine decided to keep him." Merlin laughed. "I swear, I had nothing to do with it."

 

"Gwaine!" Arthur spluttered.

 

"Sorry, mate. He let me into his pants and asked for seconds. I almost never get a call back!" Gwaine grinned. "He's a keeper!"

 

"That's because you never give your number." Arthur scowled.

 

Merlin's stomach chose that moment to noisily protest it's emptiness and he clapped his hand over it in embarrassment.

 

"Geeze, Arthur, give the poor kid a protein drink, will you?" Gwaine snickered.

 

Mordred's mouth curved darkly upward. "Or maybe I should give you one."

 

"Maybe you should," Gwaine agreed, licking his lips.

 

"Jesus Christ on a cracker, no one is giving anyone anything!" Arthur said and propelled Merlin toward the door.

 

"Oi! Where are you going?" Gwaine protested.

 

"Merlin's going for food and I've got to study." Arthur explained and opened the door.

 

Before Arthur could shove him through it, Merlin planted his feet and puckered his lips for the promised kiss.

 

"Right," Arthur said, and pressed his mouth to Merlin's. They parted with a wet smacking sound and Arthur swatted at Merlin's hip. "Love you. Now get out."

 

Merlin cracked a smile, then laughed at Arthur's ridiculousness. "You too, Prat." The last thing Merlin saw before the door shut in his face was the Arthur's sky-blue eyes, crinkled in delight. 

 

Cheerfully, Merlin made his way to the delicatessen and stood in a ridiculously long queue for sandwiches. The sense of giddy happiness that was pervading him made him want to dance and hug his fellow patrons. _He loves me! The stupid prat loves me!_ When the person behind the counter took his order, Merlin nearly blurted, _Arthur Pendragon is my boyfriend_ instead.

 

Merlin was practically walking on air by the time he got back to the flat. He had actually contemplated calling his mother, and that was really saying something. When he swung the door open, he found Arthur reclining on the couch and laughing at Gwaine and Mordred.

 

"Oi, Merlin!" Arthur called.

 

"Oi, yourself," Merlin replied, kicking the door shut. As he walked past Arthur, Merlin deliberately bumped into his elbow, and Arthur playfully swung at him. Merlin ducked away and put the food on the table. "Thought you needed to study..."

 

"I was going to but we got to talking and I..." Arthur trailed off. "I'm sorry. I should have gone to the deli with you."

 

Merlin shrugged and smiled. It was such a small thing and Arthur deserved a break from the recent stressors in his life. The acknowledgment was enough. "It's fine...what did I miss?"

 

"Oh my God...you have to see this. Show him, Mordred!" Arthur flapped his hand in encouragement.

 

Merlin returned with their sandwiches, handing one to Arthur and perching on the arm of the couch beside him. He lifted an eyebrow at Mordred as he unwrapped his sandwich and Mordred flushed. "Come on then, let's see it!"

 

"I don't think Merlin really cares..." Mordred murmured demurely but Gwaine began to egg him on.

 

"Oh, come on, it's bloody talented! Give us a show, love!"

 

"It's just parlour tricks..." Mordred said, but reached for the bag of crisps on the coffee table. 

 

Merlin watched with a mixture of disbelief and vague amusement as Mordred crushed a handful of crisps between his palms, then slowly opened his fingers to reveal a perfect, white lily. He'd known Gwaine for all of four days, and had already revealed his secrets to him? That was dangerous.

 

Still, Merlin forced a dramatic yawn before biting into his sandwich and Arthur batted at him.

 

Mordred glanced at Merlin sheepishly then made the flower rise into the air, spinning slightly.

 

Arthur and Gwaine wore the expressions of enchanted children. It made Merlin snort and roll his eyes. Arthur turned toward him disdainfully. "As if you could do anything remotely close to that?"

 

Merlin knew a challenge when he heard it. He also knew that this was an occasion that he shouldn't rise to, but he was jealous at how much Arthur was impressed by Mordred. He wanted all of Arthur's looks of amazement to be because of him. Merlin let his gaze harden at Arthur and without even looking at Mordred, raised his hand. He willed the flower toward him and caught it easily. He looked at it again and with a magician's flourish, transformed the flower into a small, red apple. That was a little harder because he was stretching the limits of the crisp-molecules and had to layer a glamour over it for colour, but Arthur looked suitably impressed and perhaps more than a little stunned. Merlin bit into the apple and it disappeared, reverting to crumbs which Merlin caught and deposited into Arthur's palm. "You were saying?"

 

Now, Arthur looked stunned. He blinked at Merlin, then the crumbs in his hand. Finally, he barked a laugh, and looked away. When his gaze met Merlin's again a few moments later, it was full of question and what Merlin thought was probably a little hurt. "You never told me you could do that..."

 

Merlin's smugness evaporated and was replaced by guilt and remorse. Should he have told Arthur what he was capable of? Did he owe him that on top of everything else? He swallowed and looked away. "I'm sorry. I mean, it's just...stupid parlour tricks."

 

"Something Merlin and I did as kids to pass the time," Mordred offered in explanation.

 

"It's fine..." Arthur echoed Merlin's earlier sentiment and nudged him with his elbow. "Can you pull a rabbit out of a hat?"

 

Merlin's mouth stretched into a grin. "I just changed flower into an apple and back into a crisp, and you want a fucking slight of hand trick that was boring before it was invented?"

 

Arthur shrugged and leaned over, taking a rather large bite out of Merlin's sandwich. Merlin slapped him on the back and shoved Arthur away from him. "That's mine, you insufferable prat!" Merlin turned, hoarding it and taking a bite of his own.

 

Arthur grabbed Merlin's elbow and tugged Merlin backward into his lap. "What's yours is mine though, right?"

 

Still chewing, Merlin sighed through his nose and offered up the sandwich. Arthur kissed him quickly and grinned before helping himself to another taste.

 

"My God, the two of you are absolutely disgusting." Mordred scowled. 

 

"Feeling's mutual." Merlin retorted as he glanced over. Mordred had one of his legs thrown over Gwaine's and Gwaine was casually groping him as though there weren't other people in the room who were trying to eat.

 

"I honestly didn't see it before but now I'm not sure how I missed it..." Mordred grumbled.

 

"Im not sure how you missed it, mate..." Gwaine laughed. "I was three sheets to the wind and I saw it. Months ago. I saw it before they saw it..."

 

"Behold," Arthur said as he finally reached for his own sandwich and unwrapped it. "Gwaine The Almighty, drunken augur and teller of fortunes!"

 

Gwaine kicked his feet up onto the coffee table and began to laugh. "And don't you forget it!

 

After they finished eating, Arthur did excuse himself to get some more studying done, and this time, he allowed Merlin to quietly occupy the space between his thighs for awhile. When Merlin had had his fill of quietly staring at Arthur's crotch and when he could no longer refrain himself from touching Arthur greedily, he got up and retreated to the bed.

 

Arthur threw him a smoldering look. "I'll be there in a minute."

 

"You don't have to," Merlin said although he was secretly pleased.

 

"Don't tell me my business," Arthur replied playfully.

 

"Sir,” Merlin smiled but demurely lowered his eyes. It was not much longer when the lights went out and the mattress dipped under Arthur's weight, sending a thrill through Merlin's core.

 

But despite alluding to their usual sort of game, Arthur did nothing more than make sweet love to Merlin once more. And for Merlin, that was enough. Afterward, Arthur was curled around Merlin, stroking his belly as they caught their breaths. Merlin was already spiralling quickly toward the place of sleep and dreams when he heard Arthur's voice in his ear.

 

"Merlin? It's not just stupid parlour tricks, is it?"

 

Merlin came fully awake in an instant and he sucked in a breath. "What makes you say something like that?"

 

"Because," Arthur murmured. "There's always been more to you than meets the eye..."

 

_fin_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may be the end of this tale, but it is decidedly not the end of the story. Please check back for the tale of Gwaine and Mordred as well as a number of vignettes. I have had far to much fun playing in this universe to quit now. 
> 
> Rane, I hope I was able to deliver on your lovely prompt. All my thanks and love for kitty_fic and agirlnamedtruth. Without them, this fic would not have been possible.

**Author's Note:**

> Please practise Risk Aware Consentual Kink at all times.
> 
> Uther's behavior is not safe or acceptable for real life BDSM play. This is fan fiction.


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